ForgetMeNot
by emmablk1
Summary: You want me to tell my story? I don't think you can handle it...To make a short story short, I was fed up with seeing too many FrodoSams on the site, so I sat down and wrote what would happen if a girl hobbit went on the Fellowship. Chapter 13 up!
1. Enter Miriam

One...more...week...of school...left...finally!! I don't think I can make it through all my finals. Someone just bury me now, because I'm going to die on Monday. Oh, well...I've had a good life. Not really. Anyway...this is my first LOTR fic and since I am practically in love with Frodo and Elijah Wood (The same person, people!) I have decided to add in my own character. And, if you've seen anything else I've written, you'll know that this is just like me to add something new in to ruin the old story. So, without further ado...

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Everything seems colder since he left. Although it's been six years, the sun never shines on me, nor does the moon. Sometimes I'm so down Pip can't even cheer me up. Whenever that happens, I go back to the memories that plague me night and day.  
  
Even now I can feel his hand on mine, his lips touching my skin. The tingle that embraced me still lingers. My heart skips a beat for so long, I feel as if it has ceased to beat at all. All this for something my family and friends called a crush? No...it was love, the kind of love that you never forget as long as you live.  
  
My story isn't like any other love story. It won't leave you unsettled or anything like that. It is so irregular I doubt that you have ever heard one like it before. All the same, it is the most romantic thing I have lived through, and I've lived through a lot.  
  
The kids are laughing in the other room as Pip tickles them mercilessly. The laughter jogs my memory of lighter days when the fate of our lives hadn't been decided yet. When so many more beings were still alive and fighting. Everything and everyone was perfect and nothing could interrupt my picture perfect life...  
  
As Pip comes in, hugs me, and plants a kiss on my cheek, I smile at the thought that I could fall back in love after all I went through. The story...? Ah, well...it begins with a birthday party...  
  
My name is Miriam Gamgee Took, and this is a story within a story.

**Chapter 1**  
  
The memory was as vivid as yesterday. Early spring had just bloomed, the birds were singing, everything was at peace, and Sam was chasing me again. Frodo's Uncle Bilbo was turning an amazing one-hundred and eleven years old; nearly too old for a hobbit. His huge birthday bash was that night and there was a major commotion with setting up everything just right, but, as usual, Frodo was missing in action and his favorite book wasn't on the shelf.  
  
My brother, Samwise, was running everywhere after me, trying to rope me into helping with the preparations. It was a trick of his to track me down and then turn around and pretend he was standing where I was to get me to do whatever he wanted me to. Once and a while I was able to get away. The only important thing on my mind, however, was finding Frodo while avoiding Sam.  
  
I decided to check his favorite spot; the grassy place under the willow tree by the road. With the sound of Sam behind running through the grass behind me, I ran down a hill and saw a prick of black against the lush of green.  
  
"Frodo!" my voice carried down to him and he looked up, confused. I was rushing uncontrollably and nearly toppled over myself, but I saw his dazzling smile at the sight of me tumbling down to see him. As I slowed and came to a stop in front of Frodo, he stood up with a bemused look on his face.  
  
"Miss Gamgee," he started, nearly bursting out into laughter at the sight of me panting from exerting myself too much, "I wonder what it could be that would make you run for your life?" I smiled despite myself.  
  
"You...weren't helping with the decorations...so..." I trailed off, leaving an awkward silence between us. In the back of my mind I was aware that Sam was somewhere close behind me, but I pushed it farther back than it already was. "What book are you reading?" I asked, actually curious.  
  
"Care to join me?" We sat with the tree's branches swaying with the wind in front of us, completely at peace, reading together quietly.  
  
"Want to know the real reason why I wasn't helping?" he said after a few minutes of silence. I tore my eyes away from the book and realized he wasn't looking at the words anymore.  
  
"Why?" I stared at him, and he grimaced and half-smiled. When he turned his head back at me, the book instantly fell down into the grass.  
  
"Uncle's up to something," his face wasn't joking around like he usually did, but was as serious and as concentrated as anything I had ever seen. "He's been in a frenzy for about a week. Digging up old maps from the attic, constantly checking and rechecking something in his pocket, and mumbling incoherently to himself." Frodo's eyes clouded, covering up the usual sky blue. "I can't stand to sit around and watch him." Seeing the question in my eyes, he added, "He won't let me do anything to help him, either; he says there's enough destruction going on down there and they don't need anymore help." He half turned away, but something came over me.  
  
"I'm sure that whatever he's doing won't bring harm to him," I automatically reached out and put my hand on his arm to comfort him. "Just look at how old he is; he knows how to take care of himself. Everything will be alright." He smiled to agree with me.  
  
I almost pulled my hand away, but he reached out and held it, lacing his fingers through mine. Instantly my heart thumped rapidly and my breathing became labored. Consciously, I hoped that he wouldn't be able to see the look of pure joy of being so close to him behind my eyes.  
  
It was such a peaceful moment. The world seemed to stop. There wasn't any chirping from the birds, nor could I hear the swaying of the tree's branches. His eyes suddenly became less clouded and we seemed to be moving closer...  
  
"Miriam!" the sudden yell jogged us out of the dream. We both looked up at the same time to see Sam racing down the hill, trying to stop us. For an instant, I had forgotten that he was still searching for me. Reluctantly, I let go of Frodo's hand and stood up to face my very annoying brother.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?!" Sam's fat, red face was suddenly shaking right in front of mine. As my mind hammered for a suitable answer, he took my shoulders and shook me hard. "I just don't understand!" My blood pressure seemed to rise higher as I waited for him to go on. "Why aren't you helping with the decorations in town?"  
  
I almost sighed aloud in my relief. Although it was certain that Sam had seen us, he was more concerned about the party to comprehend what was going on. Thank goodness for the fact that my brother was gifted with a short attention span! I turned back to Frodo to see if he was as relieved as I was, but he had turned away.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned that he was embarrassed and didn't want to look at me. He held up his hand to gesture for silence. Sam and I looked at each other in confusion. Then I heard it. Very faintly, coming down the road, was a melody obviously hummed out of tune. Along with the song came a bumping of wagon wheels and the rustling of something in the back.  
  
Frodo jumped up and raced down the hill toward the sound. I almost followed him myself, but Sam saw the look in my eyes before I reacted.  
  
"Oh, no you don't! You have to come help set up the tent." He grabbed my hand and started to lead me back into town. "One of the poles fell on Merry and now we're a little short handed." He explained as I looked back, wishing that I could be anywhere but helping Sam. Preferably near Frodo and whoever was coming up the path.

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I thought it was good, but it's all up to you to decide about whether or not I should continue to write this or not. So, I think you all know what that means. You don't? Gee, who's reading this thing? Just to let you know, I wanted to write a LOTR fic about Frodo that didn't involve Sam loving him, so i kinda put a twist on it and made the person who loves Frodo Sam's sister. Ok? Ok. Just review the stupid thing.

Someone refreash my memory and tell me how to double space on fanfiction!?!?! I can't get it to work without putting the whole story into the middle of the page!!

Review or you die!! I have a very low self esteem and I just woke up, which means that I am not a very nice person!!  
  
emmablk1


	2. The Party

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Alright, alright...at the insistence of my friend and the THREE REVEIWERS (Come on, I know you people are better than that!!!!!) I have decided to write another chapter, although I'm not sure if it will be that good...Oh well...as long as SOMEONE REVIEWS, I really won't care. Otherwise I'll just have to pull this off because obviously no one cares. Oh! I discovered that it was a girl named Diamond of Long Cleeve who married Pippin. Just for the sake of the story, she doesn't exist and Pip had more children than just his son, although his son Faramir will marry Goldilocks Gamgee, Sam's daughter, as written. I do plan on using Folco Buffin, who was one of Frodo's friends just for fun. Ok, here we go...

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Chapter 2  
  
Working with three idiots is not what I'd call a good time. That's what happened in the case of me helping set up the party; while Sam tried to hold on to the ladder that Pippin was standing on to hang the banner, Merry pushed him for not hanging it straight. It all ended up in catastrophe, as always. I hadn't learned how to keep those three out of trouble. In fact, I don't think I've ever learned how to do that.  
  
Of course, I don't think that would have happened if I had been paying more strict attention to the trio, instead of gazing off into the distance, wonder where the heck Frodo was. Not that they would have noticed me brooding, anyhow, as Pippin and Merry started up another fight later in the day when the sun was nearly down and everyone had started to arrive for the big bash. (A/N: I haven't shown that someone tells her Gandalf is in town, but she knows, ok?)  
  
As the guests began to arrive, I scrambled into a nearby tree, hoping to catch sight of Frodo. Unfortunately, Bilbo had more than half the Shire invited and there were too many curly, dark-haired hobbits to decipher which one he was.  
  
Suddenly I heard a voice call up to me. "What in the world are you doing up there?" Mortified, I looked down and felt relieved to know it was Folco Buffin, one of Frodo's friends, looking up at me with a beer in his hand.  
  
"Ummm..." I said, gazing around at the crowd of hobbits who had just saw me and were staring. "I thought these branches looked a little, um, dry and I thought it was my duty to tell my brother. I just needed a closer look." Nervously, I jumped down and smiled oddly.  
  
I could tell he didn't believe me. He grinned evilly, making my nerves even more nervous, if that was possible. "I heard you and Frodo were caught kissing in the meadow today." My eyes widened, and I thought, 'How did he know that?' He took a sip from his mug and I could tell he was enjoying teasing me.  
  
People around who were starting to leave came back to hear where the conversation was going. "I...don't know what you're talking about. We were just reading; that's all." I heard titters from the crowd and saw eyes rolling in my direction."I'm sure you were," Folco said, not disguising the fact that he had fun tormenting me. "But I heard otherwise." He smiled as though we were discussing the weather. My face turned a dark shade of red and I tried to hurry past him, wanting nothing more than to wallow in peace.  
  
He caught my arm. Quietly he whispered in my ear so that only I could hear him, "Be thankful your brother doesn't know yet. He might blow a gasket."  
  
"Mr. Buffin, are you threatening me?" I hissed back, stepping away from him.  
  
"That is the question, is it not?" As I stared at him confused, he trailed past me and left me there, not knowing if I could trust him or not.  
  
"It was none of your business! Really!" I yelled after him desperately. He didn't acknowledge if he had heard me or not, which irked me so that I turned around in a huff and nearly tumbled over Frodo. "Oh!" I said, blushing at being so near to him. "I'm sorry Frodo!"  
  
He laughed and my insides became goop. How could one person do this to me? "That's ok; I was trying to see what all the commotion was about."  
  
I looked at him suspiciously. "How did you get in here without being bombarded by your relatives?"  
  
"I came in the back way. It was a lot less crowded." His smile made me light headed and I laughed consciously. "You should see what your brother is doing." He added after a moment, as if that was the whole reason he came looking for me.  
  
"Oh, no...what is it now?" Honestly I was sick of having to watch over him all the time, especially at public events. Well, it wasn't all the time; just whenever Rosie Cotton was around. He had it bad.  
  
Frodo grabbed my hand and started to pull me toward the dancing in the middle of the party. "This has something to do with Rosie, doesn't it?" I called to him, but the crowd was getting noisier and it was harder to hear the people nearest to you.  
  
He stopped and pointed at my hopeless brother. Sam was sitting at the bar (A/N: I didn't know what to call it-what do hobbits call that?) drinking ale. "That's his third one." Frodo told me.  
  
My brain suddenly turned on. "What?! You know what happens to him when he drinks more than that!" It had actually only happened once. Sam was so depressed over Rosie dancing with another hobbit a couple years ago, he drunk himself into a stupor and poured water all over Bilbo instead of the plants the next day. I took him home and sobered him up, although it took him three days. Sam can't drink more than three ales or he's out for a week at most. For some reason, every time it had almost happened, Rosie Cotton has had something to do with it.  
  
Since I was just standing there like an idiot, Frodo ran up to him and said, "C'mon Sam-ask Rosie for a dance!" He leaned back and gave me a wink. Although my face was bright red, I smiled and winked back.  
  
Sam wasn't going to move. "I think I'll just have another ale." He reached for another, but Frodo was too quick for him.  
  
"Oh, no you don't...!" He tore his arm away from the drink and flung him toward the dancers. Thankfully, Sam ended up in Rosie's arms by pure luck. Rosie didn't seem to mind and I thought I saw a little blush creep up onto her cheeks as she pulled Sam into the dance.  
  
"Brilliant." I congratulated him. "I never knew you were that good a shot." I came up to him so he could hear me better. I swore the music was just getting louder and louder.  
  
He looked me over. "Miss Gamgee-"  
  
"Miriam." I quickly corrected him. "You don't have to call me that anymore. We're friends. Right?"  
  
He laughed. "Of course. Why wouldn't we be?" I sighed inwardly, thinking it was a miracle. "So...Miriam," The instant he said my name my heart went ten times what it normally does. "Do you know how to dance?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
"I'll take that as a no. I'll teach you, though." I swear he could see my eyes light up at the thought of him teaching me anything.  
  
"Really? Wow, that's so nice of you...I mean...no one's...never mind." I laughed with him and he took my hand again to lead me into the crowd.  
  
It was even noisier in the mist of everyone, if that was even possible. He stopped walking and let go of my hand. "Watch this carefully." He instructed. I raised an eyebrow, but watched anyways. Suddenly he dipped down and did a frog-like move. (A/N: like you saw in the first film-don't deny it; it was extremely funny.) He jumped down, jumped back up, and waved his arms like a chicken in the process. My face contorted into the look of someone trying not to laugh, which was what I was doing. He stopped jumping and gave me a look. "What?"  
  
"Nothing...You did a very...I thought it was..." My eyes watered from holding in my laughter. Suddenly I couldn't take it anymore. I doubled over and laughed until my stomach hurt. When my last laugh had been spent, I looked up hesitantly. Frodo was glaring at me.  
  
I giggled nervously and ran a hand through my hair. "Sorry. I didn't..." He rolled his eyes at me in response, but he didn't smile. "Hold on..." I thought aloud. "You can't dance, either! That's why-" I stopped myself before I said something like; 'you dance horrifically.' By the look on his face, I knew I had caught him.  
  
"Alright, I admit it." He said modestly and smiled again. "But I thought it was a pretty cool move. Wasn't it?" My face got that look again, but before I could burst out laughing, he said, "Never mind."  
  
I caught a glimpse of Sam still twirling with Rosie and I smiled fondly at the pair. Frodo saw where I was looking and gazed at them, too. "Thanks for helping him tonight." I told him, trying to turn to face him without getting jostled by the other people dancing. "He's actually shy when it comes to her, although he doesn't look it."  
  
"It was nothing." He leaned forward. Suddenly I remembered what Folco said when I spoke to him earlier. I had started to lean back a bit when there was a loud BOOM that shook the ground. We both looked up at the same time to find that someone had set off a huge firework that had been lodged in Gandalf's cart. It was the most majestic red and looked exactly like a dragon. Unfortunately for us, it was head straight for the party.  
  
As I stood cowering in fear, Frodo set off running. I didn't notice and was confused when he wasn't there anymore. I heard shrieking and someone saying, "Dragon? Nonsense; there hasn't been a dragon here in a hundred years..." Then the firework passed over us, with everyone ducking so it wouldn't it them. It flew up and twirled before bursting into a thousand tiny fires. All the girls were sighing in joy at the sight.  
  
Then, everything was back to normal again, although I had lost Frodo. Soon many people were running to the side and I realized that he was with his uncle. Bilbo, in fact was being persuaded to make a speech.  
  
I walked over to the site and was pleased to find Merry and Pippin washing dishes, covered in soot. Ignoring the shouts of 'Speech!', I made a beeline for them and laughed at their faces.  
  
"It's not that funny." Merry protested. Pippin nodded his head in agreement. I continued laughing at them all the same. Pippin scooped some soapy water into the cup he was washing and flung it at me.  
  
"Hey!" I cried when the water splashed on me. My mouth had been open, and now it was filled with soap. "That wasn't necessary!"  
  
"Yeah, well...I wasn't necessary to laugh at us, either." Pippin said. He was actually acting serious, which hardly ever happened. He continued washing dishes, making water splash everywhere because he was practically throwing the dishes into the tub.  
  
"Are you mad?" I asked him, concerned. He looked at me and turned away.  
  
"It was just a joke, Pip. And I didn't mean to get us in trouble; you know I didn't." Merry said, pleading to him. He thought he was mad about getting into trouble for the firework.  
  
"That's not-" Pip was answering, but at that moment, Bilbo decided to start his speech.  
  
"My dear Bagginses and Boffins...Tooks and Brandybucks..." After each family name was called, a huge roar would come up from the crowd. I turned around and stared at Bilbo, who had gotten on top of a table at the insistence of the others. In the front I spied Frodo. "...Grubbs, Chubbs...Hornblowers...Bolgers...Bracegirdles...and Proudfoots."  
  
The Proudfoots, being very proud of their...err...feet, shouted at their name being called. One particular hobbit shouted, "Proudfeet!" The crowd laughed at him. Bilbo frowned and continued with his speech. "Today is my 111th birthday!" Everyone roared once more. "But, alas, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits. I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." A murmur went up from the congregation, all wondering what that was supposed to mean. From behind me, I heard laugher. I turned my head slightly and found Gandalf the Grey chuckling at Bilbo, as if it was a private joke between the two of them. Bilbo continued. "I, uh...have things to do." The mood of the affair suddenly changed. His voice was different, as if the tine had changed drastically. Quickly, so that no one could see, he reached into his small pocket and grabbed something, putting it behind his back. "I've put this off far too long." The air was quiet and nothing seemed to stir but his words. "I regret to announce this is the end! I'm going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell." His eyes scanned the crowd searching for something. Then his eyes rested on Frodo and his next word seemed directed at him. "Goodbye." In an instant, Bilbo Baggins vanished and was never seen in Hobbiton again.

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Sorry this took so long to write this. I was extremely lazy, and to top it all off, my internet is messing up and won't let me on. Plus, I went and did some research for the speech and other things. (I needed to re-watch the movie anyways.) So, enjoy and the next chapter will be when they start to go to the Inn of the Prancing Pony. See you later!

emmablk1


	3. Begining the Journey

I actually started writing this almost right after I posted the second chapter. Is it okay if I follow the extended four-disk movies instead of the regular movies? Those are funnier to write about. Tell me- when the fellowship breaks, where should Miriam go? Should it be with Frodo or with Merry and Pippin? I've been debating for forever. They both would make some really good scenes, but would make some pretty bad ones too. Tell me what you think in a (nudge, nudge) review.  
  
**Lady Knight19**- your screen name is from Tamora Pierce books, right? I love those books! And thanks for all the bowing and everything. For a minute there I felt special. In fact, you're the reason why I started this chapter so fast. Amazing what a little flattery can do, huh? Don't go insane, though-then I won't have many readers left.  
  
**Ilfirin912**- nice name. Yes, I have heard it from Miriam herself that Sam is a very hard person to live with. He gets into the drinks...and well, you know the rest. She also has to deal with Sam's constant obsession over things. Like Rosie Cottonwood, for instance; man, is Miriam ever glad they actually got married. Enjoy!  
  
**nienna-yavetil**- I think I've already replied to you, but...I love Elijah Wood! I also have a thing for Billy Boyd, too, (I think it's his accent!) and that'll come into play later. Hey! Did you enjoy the second chapter?  
  
**ChanglingChild1**- hello Jessie. Thanks for the corrections. Although, I'm not taking this one down like I had to do to the first chapter. It takes too long to re-do it. Have fun finding mistakes in this chapter! (If you want to, you can be my beta and find them BEFORE I post it. E-mail me.)  
  
**Emma-Lee14**- Hey! Yeah, I really liked that part of the fic. I didn't see any stories that had Frodo falling in love with Sam's lil sis, so...I tried it out. This will be long- I'm warning you now. It has to cover all three extended versions of the movies, so I better get to watching them again.  
  
**Cavca Gamgee**- I think my self esteem just got boosted a bit more. Thanks. Pippin married Diamond of Long Cleeve, actually. I made her poof out of existence for the sake of the plot. I'm not related to Sam, though. But my third cousin on my mother's side, who was twice removed, is. Although, I guess since I'm related to Pip, I am also related to you. Now if I could figure out how...  
  
Wow. That took a long time. ON WITH THE FIC!!

**....- **means 'later'

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**Chapter 3**  
  
From then on nothing was the same. Generations after would know the story of how 'Old Bilbo Baggins' made his daring escape. Only minutes after he was gone, ghost stories had started to crop up out of all the children's mouths, insuring scary stories for years to come.  
  
The party was in complete disarray. The initial shock hadn't worn off, so everyone was in a frantic search for Bilbo. Due to the running everywhere, the food was gone in the first six minutes. The crowd was very thick, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to find Frodo. Maybe it was the fact that I wasn't high enough, but it might have had something to do with how the crowd practically tossed me over toward the tree that I had stood by earlier that night.  
  
After a good solid half hour, people started to notice that the food was gone and look for more of it instead of Bilbo. They started to thin out and head toward the pub. No one was too concerned now that one of their own had disappeared. As I stood by the tree watching them, I saw that Frodo wasn't in the bubbling mass. Things quickly got quieter and I began to think, leaning up against the tree for comfort.  
  
"Arrghh!" I abruptly cried out, frustrated by my lack of thinking skills. I turned around and kicked to tree in anger, but I only succeeded in giving my big toe a huge bruise. As I winced in pain, I suddenly saw Frodo strolling around the remains of the party and acting as if nothing had even happened.  
  
I desperately tried to hide behind the tree, but as soon as I moved he saw me. "Where is everyone, Miriam?" His eyes searched through the growing darkness for signs of life. I came out from behind the tree and ran over to him, my mind filled to the peak with questions.  
  
"Where's Bilbo?" I began. And from then on, nothing could stop me. "How did he disappear like that? Where did you go? Why didn't you stay? Where is Gandalf? How could you not know where the party went, isn't it obvious? Did you hit your head again?" The questions flew out of me as if I had no control over my mouth. Frodo's eyebrows went up, but he smiled. "What?!" I asked, annoyed.  
  
"Don't worry about it," He answered. "Everything will be just fine. They're just..." He stopped for a moment and thought, clearly making the answer up as he went. "They're indisposed at the moment." His voice sounded shaky and hesitant; he wasn't sure if I'd believe him.  
  
"You're hiding something, aren't you?" I narrowed my eyes at him and his smile dropped immediately. "I knew it!" I practically yelled, jumping up and down, excited about being right for once.  
  
"Y-you must be delusional," He reached up and pretended to check my head for a temperature before putting both his hands on my shoulders and shaking me lightly. Distantly I could hear my heart beating rapidly, but for once in my life I focused on the moment at hand.  
  
"Don't play with me!" I threatened. "I know I'm right!" I poked him on his chest to emphasize the point.  
  
"No! You're-" he stopped suddenly when he realized that his arms were wrapped around me and my hands were encircling his neck. (A/N: well, they have a mind of their own and like to move from time to time!) Our eyes locked for minutes that felt like hours. "W-what were we talking about again?" he said after he snapped out of it, but instantly fell back in. I was falling too, just like last time. Fortunately, I was on the lookout for Sam, unlike last time.  
  
"Sam'll...be back...any...minute...now..." I found it hard to breathe when we were this close. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves, but it just seemed to make it worse. I heard him gulp and I thought dimly if he was as nervous as I was. This time no one would interfere. It wasn't like anyone was there, anyways.  
  
I closed my eyes and touched my forehead to his. His hands had risen to my face and he was stroking it tenderly. Maybe this would work out...maybe...maybe I'd get my first kiss from-  
  
"Miriam!!" My thoughts were interrupted by my idiot brother once again. I resolved to lock him in the basement when we got home. "What are you doing?!" Suddenly I remembered that Sam could see us and we looked a little more than friendly. Frodo and I both pulled away at the same time, blushing the same shade of pink. Sam was once again running toward us, most likely coming out of his hiding place from where he was spying on us.  
  
"Nothing!" I called to him as he came nearer. I looked at Frodo and he shrugged- the lightest trace of a smile on his face. "Why would we be doing anything?" I turned a question back on him to see him stutter.  
  
"Well, I...that is...I mean..." I gave him a look and he stopped talking, not having much to go on anyway.  
  
"That's what I thought." I looked at the two of them. "C'mon, let's go to the pub and check out what Merry and Pippin are up to."  
  
**....**  
  
The pub was rowdy, but right away you could see and hear Merry and Pippin. They were over in the corner, standing on the table and singing. Sam instantly went over to another table with some of the older hobbits to talk and smoke, not to mention get a good view of Rosie, but Frodo and I grabbed some drinks and joined in with the duo.  
  
"...To heal my heart and drown my woe," It was a song we all knew since birth. I began to clap along to the beat and sing. Frodo jumped around the table taking sips of his beer as he went. "Rain may fall and wind may blow, but there still be..." we held out the note for a few seconds. "Many miles to go!" Merry and Pippin stomped their feet to the rhythm so hard on the table that I feared it would break. "Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain and the stream that falls from hill to plain! Better than rain or rippling brook..." We stopped singing together to give Pip his solo.  
  
"...Is a mug of beer inside this Took!" he completed with pride and gobbled down his beer. The crowd cheered, but we were the loudest, laughing the entire time. I took a big sip and felt the liquid go down my throat and I realized how thirsty I really was.  
  
I began to listen to the conversation between Sam and some of the older hobbits who were smoking not too far from where we were. The pub was noisy, so I couldn't hear very well, but some snippets of what they were saying floated over to where I was standing.  
  
"Strange folk...crossing. Dwarves...war is brewing. Mountains...teeming with...goblins." Suddenly my mouth was dry again. Something was going on that we didn't know about. I tried to get closer so I could hear everything they were saying.  
  
"Children's stories...beginning to sound like...old Bilbo Baggins...cracked, he was." I couldn't believe was I was hearing. Bilbo was gone for only three hours and already they were talking about him as if he'd died.  
  
Frodo had gone to get the group some beers and was heading their way. The other hobbit spoke. "Young Mr. Frodo here, he's cracking."  
  
Frodo sat down and passed out the mugs. I dared to edge close enough to hear their whole discussion so that they couldn't see me. "And proud of it! Cheers, Gaffer." They all nodded. I could tell that Sam wasn't exactly following the conversation with alertness; he was too busy staring at Rosie at the bar to notice anything they were talking about.  
  
"It's none of our concern what goes on beyond our borders," another hobbit put in. "Keep your nose out of trouble, and no trouble will come to you." Frodo and the rest nodded and smiled at the philosophy. Suddenly Frodo's eyes darted out and caught mine, winking at me. I smiled and winked back, blushing as always. He turned back around.  
  
I was fixing to do the same when someone's hands went over my eyes. "Guess who?" a disembodied voice asked.  
  
"Hey!" I said, trying to pull away their arms from my face, but his hands (A/N: you caught me, it's a guy.) were stuck on me tight. "Let go of me!" I started to laugh really hard.  
  
"Give me one good reason." He said, and suddenly I knew who he was.  
  
"Pip? What are you doing?"  
  
"Ahhh...You had to guess?" He complained, finally letting go of me. I turned to look at him. He was pouting.  
  
"No...Don't give me that...! I know you're faking!" His pout turned into a smile and he took my arms as some music started.  
  
"C'mon, let's dance, it'll be fun!" He twirled me before I could refuse and the music started to get faster. I grinned and went along with him.  
  
**....**  
  
The sky turned dark quicker than expected and we all started to file out of the pub. I could see Sam's eyes travel with Rosie as she stationed herself at the door to say goodbye to everyone. He looked at me and pleaded. I groaned, but pulled myself away from the table where Pippin, Merry, Frodo and I were sitting and walked toward the door with Sam.  
  
Frodo came running up behind me. "All three of us can walk home together." He explained and I nodded. Sam found us and we went out the door.  
  
"Good night, lads. And Miriam, of course." Rosie said as we passed her. We smiled and waved. Just as we were on the road, there came a cry from behind us.  
  
"Good night sweet maiden of the Golden Ale!" Someone had gotten down on one knee to Rosie. She was obviously very flustered, but she looked tired, as if this had happened too many time already.  
  
Sam suddenly got very mad. "Mind who you're sweet-talking..." He was getting in that mood again; too many ales, someone else flirting with Rosie and too much talk of war made him like this.  
  
Thankfully Frodo interfered. "Don't worry, Sam. Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one." Sam's mood changed in an instant. His brow furrowed in worry.  
  
"Does she?" I laughed at him.  
  
"Sam...I...think she...already caught... sight of you... and not...in a...good way!" Frodo laughed as Sam hit me playfully on the arm.  
  
We walked along through the night and saw Frodo home. We lived just a little down the road, convenient for Sam, who needed to have a short distance between work and home. As we got to the door, Sam abruptly turned around and grinned.  
  
"Oh, no. I know that look. What are you planning this time?" I slowly started to back away from him in disgust.  
  
"Did Frodo seem a little...different to you tonight?" he asked, still with a huge smile on his face.  
  
"N-no...Why?" I asked suspiciously. Immediately it clicked. "NO! I will not spy on him!"  
  
"Whyever not?" He said, annoyed with me.  
  
"No, Sam. You can get me to plant dangerous plants in people's yards, you can and have made me flirt with the guy at the bar so you can get a beer underage, and you most certainly can use me in your stupid idiotic plots to woo Rosie Cottonwood, but you can't make me do this!" I caught my breath as he gave me a look. "WHAT?!"  
  
"Does this have anything to do with the fact that you have fallen head over heals in love with Frodo?" He smiled at the look on my face.  
  
"H-how do you...I mean, I do not." I improvised. Of course, it totally made sense how he figured it out. He'd already seen us twice about to kiss.  
  
"You do this with me and I owe you whatever you want from me. Besides, it's not as if anything's gonna happen." I still didn't look convinced. He sighed. "We'll be back in time for a midnight snack." I smiled and nodded. He grinned again and staggered past me toward Frodo's house.  
  
"On one condition, though." I caught him and he turned around slowly. "Promise me that you owe me something that I want really bad and you can't refuse." He smiled halfheartedly and nodded, trying to get down the path. "Oh, and can my midnight snack be something with chocolate?"  
  
**....**  
  
The night had fully closed in on us and everywhere was eerily silent. Lights were on in windows, but were dimming gradually. It didn't take long to get to Frodo's, but we felt as if we were sneaking around, so we took longer. Looking back, I guess we were sneaking around, looking for some answers.  
  
The light was on at his house, casting a glow on the gardening below the window. I tapped Sam, who was in front of me, on the shoulder. "You forgot one thing, smarty," I whispered to him. "Where are we going to hide so we can eavesdrop?" I could tell he panicked for a moment, but got a hold of himself again.  
  
"First thing's first," He whispered back urgently. "This is not eavesdropping! It's called being concerned for a friend."  
  
"Oh, so that means it's right that we sneak around his house at night?" I inquired. Sam squirmed.  
  
"Uh...we'll hide underneath the windowsill." He said, by way of avoiding my question. We hurried over to the spot, crouching low to not be seen from the inside.  
  
"What can you hear?" I asked him, because he was closest to the window and all I could hear was the rustling of his feet in the grass.  
  
"Shh!" Sam hissed. He listened hard, then said, "Something about a...a ring? And the end of the...of the world?!"  
  
"You're crazy, he is not saying that!"  
  
"No, not just Frodo. Gandalf is in there, too. He's the one talking. I think...I think Frodo's going on some sort of mission." He looked at me with wide eyes. "He's leaving the shire."  
  
"He can't!" I said forcefully, so hard that I lost my balance and fell back. To steady myself my hand flew out, but it hit a twig and a loud, sharp cracking noise ensued. There was rustling in the house, hurried whispers, and suddenly a large staff came out the window. It was aiming for whatever made the noise, but instead of hitting me, it came down hard on Sam's head.  
  
"OUCH!" he yelped, and Gandalf's hand went out and pulled him up and over the ledge. Immediately I stood up and saw Sam on the table, Gandalf standing over him like a judge to a criminal.  
  
"Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping?" His voice seemed magically magnified ten times its normal capacity.  
  
Sam shivered and said hesitantly, "I haven't been dropping no eaves, sir. Honest." Sam was visibly scared now. I giggled at him and Frodo turned around, noticing me for the first time. His face lit up and he walked over, helping me over the window ledge. "I was just cutting the grass under the window, there, if you'll follow me." Sam seemed to twitch a little when he lied, and he was twitching uncontrollably now.  
  
I nudged Frodo and he looked at me. "His ticklish spot is underneath his feet, if you really want to torture him." I whispered in his ear, so not to disturb the scene that was playing before us. We both tried to hold in our laughter, but it kept slipping out.  
  
Gandalf didn't seem to notice that we were cracking up in the corner. "A little late for trimming the verge, don't you think?" he said, clearly mad at Sam.  
  
"I heard raised voices!" Sam said in explanation for why we were here. It didn't do much good.  
  
"What did you hear?" Gandalf seemed even madder by that statement. When Sam didn't answer, he yelled, "Speak!" "Nothing important!" he answered timidly. "That is, I heard a good deal about a ring, a dark lord and something about the end of the world, but- -" He swallowed loudly and pleaded, "Please Mr. Gandalf, sir, don't hurt me. Don't turn me into anything...unnatural."  
  
"No?" Gandalf looked over at Frodo and seemed almost surprised to see me standing with him. Only his eyes showed that he knew I was there. "Perhaps not." He nearly smiled. "I've thought of a better use for you."  
  
Sam's lip quivered in fright as Frodo and I tried to control ourselves from rolling on the floor in laughter.  
  
**....**  
  
An hour later, Sam was laden down with everything under the sun that you could need for a very long trip. I too was helping; after finally acknowledging that I was there, Gandalf made me the official lookout. Looking out for what, I wasn't sure about yet.  
  
"Come along, Samwise. Keep up!" he called from ahead of all three of us. Sam was lagging behind for about fifty yards. I sighed in annoyance.  
  
"Midnight snack my butt..." I thought aloud as I remembered what Sam had promised me.  
  
We walked into the semi-forest where Frodo had been sitting only yesterday. Gandalf stopped us and bent down to speak to Frodo.  
  
"What's he saying?" I asked Sam when he caught up.  
  
"He's telling him not to put it on." He told me as way of an answer. I became very confused.  
  
"Put what on? He's carrying something with him?"  
  
"The ring, stupid!" Sam hit me as hard as he could with several hundred things on his back.  
  
"OUCH!" I cried. "That hurt!" I punched him back, and with all the baggage on him, he fell over.  
  
Frodo came over to us, not smiling anymore. "C'mon, let's go." He helped Sam up as a bird called in the distance. Suddenly he became very nervous. He looked around him unpleasantly. "Let's cover as much distance as we can." He smiled a weak smile and started walking.

* * *

Wow, that took FOREVER! It is four pages longer than the other two! After this favor, you people better review! Oh, I know...FREE LOTR DVDS FOR ALL WHO REVIEW!! I think that might work. It always works on me, anyways. Next up: Merry and Pippin meet up with them! And don't forget to tell me who Miriam should go with- Sam and Frodo or Merry and Pippin! Good bye now!


	4. Meeting Aragorn

Here you go...and here you are...and so on...now, those DVDs will get there as soon as I get 19.95 and shipping and handling from all you. Send it to 8888 Anywhere, USA. Oh, and only one of you answered my question about who Miriam should go with. And it wasn't very helpful, Jessie. So...is it Pippin and Merry or Frodo and Sam?  
  
**Changelingchild1:** Wow, no corrections? You're slacking off...and I told you, I need the shipping and handling from you...  
  
**I Like...MINTS!:** Thanks! I love new reviewers!! You sound like me, always making threats and not being able to go through with them. I love your name, by the way.  
  
**nienna-yavetil:** Cool! Maybe we can blackmail them together. j/k. And I'm desperately trying to write another chapter, but I get writers block like no one you've ever met.  
  
**Emma-Lee14:** I love making fun of Sam! He's too easy to. Have fun with this chapter!  
  
**abloome90:** I love seeing new reviews on the thingy...thanks! I hope you like the other chapters, too. Because, trust me, it takes me forever to just get at least two pages! A couple hours, anyway...

**...= **'later'

* * *

**Chapter Four  
**  
It wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be. Although, the difficult part was more due to Frodo instead of trekking through all types of weather. My nerves wouldn't stand still no matter how hard I tried to suppress them.  
  
Already we had walked through farmland, grassland, another farmland, endless grasslands...everything looked the same. On the second day, however, we came to a gorgeous waterfall.  
  
"Wow," I breathed. "It's so beautiful..." Sam was lagging behind me again and Frodo didn't seem to notice. He was becoming more and more preoccupied in his own thoughts than he had been and I hadn't seen him smile since the day we left.  
  
"Can...we...keep...moving?" Sam panted from behind me. "If we...stop...everything becomes...heavy...again."  
  
"Everything was heavy to begin with, idiot." I said sourly, thinking about Frodo's attitude and getting grumpier every minute I thought about it.  
  
**...**  
  
We walked on, stopping every now and then for food and for nursing our blisters. My feet weren't used to covering this much ground. We entered the farmland again and I sighed, not wanting to look at another barn.  
  
Suddenly Sam stopped and I, who had been lagging behind him for once, collided with all the pots and pans on his backside. "This is it." He said as a way of explanation of stopping.  
  
"This is what?" Frodo and I said together. Our eyes connected for a second and I saw that not all the warmth in his eyes had been frozen.  
  
Sam looked at both of us. "If I take one more step...it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been."  
  
I sighed and said, "Oh, please." Although my answer had been less encouraging, Frodo smiled at Sam as I readjusted my backpack that was cutting into my shoulders.  
  
"C'mon, Sam," Frodo said and he took Sam by the shoulder to lead him on. "Remember what Bilbo used to say," I laughed and said the next line in chorus with him.  
  
"'It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door.' " Sam smiled and we began to walk on, both Frodo and I helping Sam walk farther. "'You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.' "  
  
"Plus," I added after we were done quoting. "I think you would have gotten farther if you were chasing Rosie, so I doubt that it matters anyway." Sam punched me in the stomach as punishment and things seemed like we had never left Hobbiton.  
  
**...  
**  
A few hours later we were lounging around taking a break. Frodo was lying in the tree smoking a pipe and Sam was, of course, cooking sausages. As he put them on the napkin, I snatched them up and put them in my mouth. Sam kept smacking my hand and telling me to 'keep away from my food!'  
  
There was a slight sound of music in the air that Sam and I were ignoring. It wasn't until Frodo sat up that I noticed anything out of the ordinary. "Sam! Miriam!" He called to us excitedly, "Wood-elves!"  
  
All three of us looked at each other for a moment, then shot up and ran toward where the music was strongest. There they were...beautiful in all their glory. We hid behind a conveniently placed log. I was amazed. In their flowing robes, it was impossible to tell what gender they were. The music was coming from somewhere, but the mouths of the elves weren't moving. I was about to ask where they were going when Frodo read my mind and said, "They're going to the harbor beyond the White Towers." He tore his eyes away from the elves and looked at us; his eyes lingering on mine a second longer. "To the Grey Havens."  
  
"They're leaving Middle Earth." Sam whispered. I made my eyes look at him to find that he was still gazing intently at the elves.  
  
"Never to return." Frodo continued. His eyes were still on mine. I didn't look at him directly.  
  
"I don't know why..." Sam said dejectedly. "...it makes me sad."  
  
I glanced at my brother and wondered if I should actually forgive him for taking me on a crazy trip after all.  
  
**...**  
  
The night was silent except for the occasional hooting of the owl that was in the tree above me. I rolled over to my side, but no matter where I lay, a piece of twig punctured my back. I opened my eyes and looked around as best as I could. Sam was having similar problems with the sleeping arrangement.  
  
"Everywhere I lie, there's a dirty great root sticking into my back." He called out into the darkness annoying loud. I groaned and moved to my other side where Frodo was lying.  
  
His eyes were closed tightly, but he called back to Sam. "Just shut your eyes and imagine you're back in your own bed...with a soft mattress...and a lovely feather pillow." He sounded very tired and his words came slow and sleepy.  
  
I heard Sam twisting and turning around on the ground just like he did at home. He was so loud there that I heard him from my room, which was three rooms down the hall. I managed to get comfortable for five minutes until Sam muttered aloud again. "It's not working Mr. Frodo." He said and I groaned again. "I'm never going to be able to sleep out here."  
  
Frodo opened his eyes and gazed at me, smiling a bit. "Me neither, Sam."  
  
Distantly, I heard Sam munching on some leftover sausage and I tried to close my eyes and sleep. I couldn't sleep still, although for a different reason this time. Quickly I peeked out and saw Frodo still staring at me, though his eyes were glazed over. I shut my eyes again and silently hoped he would go back to normal soon.  
  
**...**  
  
I had come to the conclusion that the shire had too many farms. I was surprised that we had only gone about a hundred miles from Hobbiton, but I was never a good judge of meter. We were walking through yet another cornfield. I swear, if I ever walk through another cornfield, I'll...probably go insane.  
  
One way or another, all three of us were separated. It wasn't hard to do, although I was trying to get lost from Sam anyways. I was looking down at my feet, not caring where I was going, when suddenly I realized that Sam wasn't ahead or behind me. At first I wasn't very concerned, but then I grasped the fact that Frodo was always with him and therefore wasn't with me.  
  
Suddenly I heard a shout coming from a few stalks ahead of me. "Mr. Frodo? Frodo? Frodo!" I raced toward the voice and found Sam desperately twirling around looking everywhere. Frodo came from around the corner of the stalks and smiled worriedly. "Thought I'd lost you." Sam said, relived.  
  
Frodo smiled and answered, "What do you mean?"  
  
Sam shifted uncomfortably. "It's just something Gandalf said." He looked at me and I knew exactly what he meant.  
  
"Oh! That..." I remembered.  
  
Frodo looked between the both of us. "What did he say?"  
  
"'Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee.' " Sam recited. You would think it was his favorite quote or something. Who remembers what someone has told you at least three days ago? I know I can't remember. "And I don't mean to." Sam finished.  
  
Frodo laughed at us. "Sam, we're still in the Shire. What could possibly happen?"  
  
As if it were an omen, there abruptly came a crashing from behind us. We turned around, but Frodo and I were instantly tackled by two blurs carrying vegetables.  
  
"Ouch!" I cried, feeling someone's weight on me. They were heavy, too. I opened my eyes to see my attacker and saw a patch of reddish curly hair. "Pippin?!" I cried into his hair.  
  
He looked up and blushed deeply, then looked to his right. "Frodo." He said amazed, as if he wasn't lying on top of me. "Merry, it's Frodo Baggins." He called to the other blur who had landed on top of Frodo. I smiled at him.  
  
"Hello Frodo." Merry said cheerfully, still on top of him by accident, trying to get off.  
  
"Get off of him! C'mon, Frodo." He yanked Merry off Frodo in an instant and pulled him off the ground, dusting him. He ignored the fact that Pip hadn't thought about getting off of me yet.  
  
"Umm...Pip..." I said tensely. "You're still on me." He looked back at me and blushed redder than he already was.  
  
"Sorry," He said and helped me up.  
  
Sam already wanted to know why Merry and Pippin were running at top notch speed through a cornfield. Then he saw that they were holding vegetables. "You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!"  
  
Before anyone had anything to say about it, there came a shout in the distance, unmistakably Farmer Maggot. "You get back here! Get out of my field! You'll know the devil if I catch up with you!" Merry and Pippin were visibly scared, so they dumped most of the veggies with Sam and took off at a run, grabbing me and Frodo with them.  
  
"I don't know why he's so upset." Merry puffed as we ran, dodging huge stalks of corn at every turn. "It's only a couple of carrots."  
  
"Umm...do you know where we're going?" I asked Merry, who had taken my hand at a run and hadn't let go yet. He didn't answer, which concerned me just a lot.  
  
"And some cabbages," Pip threw back at him. "And those three bags of potatoes that we lifted last week," He stopped talking to catch his breath. "And then the mushrooms the week before."  
  
Merry sighed but kept running. "Yes, Pippin. My point is...He's clearly overreacting!"  
  
Finally we came out of the cornfield at a dead run and stopped just before a drop at the other side. All three of us sighed in relief.  
  
Then Frodo asked, "Where's Sa-" right before he ran into us from behind and we toppled over into the ditch.  
  
We fell in a heap all together; Merry on Sam, who was on me, and I was on Pippin. Frodo seemed to have no trouble getting out and standing up, while the rest of us groaned from the weight. "Oh. That was close." Pippin said, narrowly avoiding some dung that was in the road.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Very close." I replied. Then I took some and mashed it in his face.  
  
"What'd you do that for?" He sputtered after spitting some of it out. I chuckled and just smiled sweetly.  
  
"I think I've broken something." Merry said disdainfully. He pulled a broken carrot out from under him and pouted.  
  
Sam was less happy than the rest of us. "Trust a Brandybuck and a Took!"  
  
"You didn't necessarily have to trust them, you know." I whispered to myself, fed up with Sam's attitude. We all tried to get up and after several tries I managed to fling Sam off of me, all three hundred pounds of blubber.  
  
"What?" Merry said angrily. "That was just a detour. A shortcut." He sounded as if Sam had insulted his family generations back. Either that or his beer, which he was very protective about.  
  
"Short cut to what?" I asked, curious.  
  
"Mushrooms!" Pippin exclaimed, and we all immediately threw ourselves over to the mushrooms and started to divide them equally. The only thing missing was that Frodo wasn't joining in on the festivities. "That's mine." Pip said, picking the biggest one out for himself.  
  
"That's not fair!" I cried, slapping his had away from it. He plucked it off the ground and we fought over it; one pulling it this way, one pulling it the other. While Pip and I were fighting like little children, Merry and Sam were picking up all the good mushrooms, sharing them equally between them.  
  
Frodo was still on the road, staring out into oblivion for some reason. I let go of the mushroom to ask what the matter was and Pippin fell over. I helped him up, wondering what was wrong with Frodo. It didn't answer my question when he said, "I think we should get off the road." No one was listening but me. Merry and Sam were busy picking out mushrooms and Pippin was currently stroking the mushroom he had won. Frodo's eyes had an urgency in them that frightened me. "Get off the road! Quick!" he shouted. We followed his orders and ran over to a nearby log, hiding beneath it.  
  
"Be quiet!" I whispered when the world suddenly went deathly still. The only sound I could hear was the breathing of everyone else and the crawling of the bugs over all four of us. Spiders were slipping over ever cranny they could and the other ones I couldn't name were crawling absolutely everywhere. (A/N: In case you wanted to know, Sam is on Frodo's left side, Miriam on his right, and Merry and Pippin next to her. I don't know how they all got squeezed in there, by the way.)  
  
There suddenly came the sound of a horse breathing from right above us. I looked up through a crack and saw it was no ordinary horse. It seemed as though it were bleeding black blood. The rider got down and the metal he or she was wearing clanked even on the soft floor of the forest.  
  
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Frodo reach into his pocket. I turned my head and saw a golden ring in his hand. It looked as ordinary as a ring could be, but from the moment I saw it, I knew it was evil. Frodo then tried to slip it on; he was falling fast under a spell neither he nor I could see. Without hesitation I reached out and put my hand on his, at the same moment Sam reached out the stop him. I looked at Sam and wondered if we were alike after all.  
  
Merry was the smart one and he threw one of the packs that we had left over to the side and listened for the crash. Instantly, the rider and horse raced over to investigate. All four of us ran as far as we could together without breaking our legs from running.  
  
"What was that?" someone asked, but I was too tired to figure out whom.  
  
**...**  
  
For the last five hours, we were all on a tight rope; too scared to not dodge behind trees when we ran. It had gotten dark a few minutes ago and now we were really on the edge. Frodo dared to go out before all of the rest of us, checking to see if anything was out there.  
  
"Anything?" Sam called. Frodo was hiding behind a tree about twenty feet ahead of us. We were all panting from running so much and from fright.  
  
"Nothing." Frodo called back, relieved and discouraged at the same time, if it was possible.  
  
We caught up with him, desperate for answers. "What's going on?" Pippin said desperately, leaning on another tree for strength.  
  
Merry went right up to Frodo and said something almost inaudible. So much I had to strain to hear. "That black rider was looking for something or someone. Frodo?" Chills ran down my back at his words.  
  
Out of the darkness there came a dark shape from ahead of us. "Get down!" Someone called.  
  
Frodo called out to us quietly. "I have to leave the Shire. Sam, Miriam and I must get to Bree." Merry nodded as the rest of us were still trying to digest what he was saying.  
  
"Right." Merry told him. "Bucklebury Ferry. Follow me." We followed him and I marveled at how he knew where everything was.  
  
Our sureness at where we were going was short-lived, however, as when we went two feet, another black rider popped out from in front of us and we ran in the opposite direction. "Run!" Pippin shouted.  
  
"This way!" Merry's voice carried over to the rest of us. "Follow me!" I scrambled over to where he was, intent on getting away from the shadow.  
  
"Run!" pippin screamed again, and I knew instantly where to turn. We jumped a fence and came to a lake with a boat handy on the deck, made just for five hobbits to ride on. We scrambled on board and Sam undid the rope from the deck. Suddenly, at the same time, we all noticed that we were missing Frodo.  
  
"Frodo!" Sam screamed, as Pippin yelled, "Run, Frodo!"  
  
We shouted to him, telling him to 'Go!' and 'Hurry!', but he seemed to be running in slow motion, not being able to get there in time with one of the black riders behind him, tailing him.  
  
"Frodo, c'mon!" I shouted louder than the others, "C'mon! Faster!"  
  
"Jump!" All three of them yelled at the same time. We were now about a foot or more from the deck. Miraculously, Frodo got to the edge of the deck and jumped, landing hard on the raft.  
  
He lay there, gasping for breath and said, "How far from the nearest crossing?" I stared at him in amazement and faintly heard Merry saying, "The Brandywine Bridge. Twenty Miles."  
  
I bent down and helped him up, feeling him sink in my arms. He had fallen asleep in my embrace.  
  
**...**  
  
Compared to the rest of the journey, the boat ride didn't take too long. Although we felt better about loosing the riders, our hopes were dashed when it started to rain and we took one wrong turn after another in order to find the city of Bree. Apparently, we were looking for The Inn of the Prancing Pony.  
  
"C'mon," Frodo whispered to the rest of us and lead us to the entrance of what had to be Bree. We stood in a line, constantly looking over our shoulders, at the giant wooden door. Frodo knocked and the man inside opened the small window at the bottom of the door that was just our size. I'd forgotten we were that short and I didn't like the overwhelming feeling it gave me.  
  
"What do you want?" The man asked in a gruff voice. I couldn't see his face because of the combination of the rain and the dark.  
  
"We're heading for the Prancing Pony." Frodo said daringly, but I could tell he was frightened.  
  
"Hobbits." The man sounded surprised to see our kind in his town. "Five hobbits! What's more, out of the shire by your talk. What business brings you to Bree?" He surveyed all of us.  
  
"We wish to stay at the inn." Frodo answered huffily. "Our business is our own."  
  
The man looked amazed that such a small person could have such an attitude and he opened the door for us. "Alright, young sir." He apologized. We shuffled through the door quietly as he spoke. "I meant no offense. It's my job to ask questions after nightfall. There's talk of strange folk abroad. Can't be too careful..." his voice faded as we walked on.  
  
There were so many people there and we were so short, it was hard to maneuver around the town. Especially since we didn't know exactly where the inn was. People kept shouting at us. "Out of the way!" and "Watch where you're walking!" were jeered at us several times. Then we finally saw the inn, like a beacon to us.  
  
I knew before we walked through the door that we were not going to fit in here. Frodo walked right up to the desk at the front and said rather loudly, "Excuse me..."  
  
As a man looked over the top of the desk, I turned to Sam, Merry and Pippin. "Are you sure Gandalf will be here?" I asked to mask my nervousness.  
  
They didn't answer, but Pippin immediately became concerned with one of the things he loves best; beer. "Do you think they have any beer here?" he asked aloud and the rest of us sighed.  
  
"It's not like you need it," Merry told him. "Unlike me..." He let it drop and he and Pippin began to fight over who needed it the most. It wasn't until we heard Gandalf's name that we began to listen to the conversation between Frodo and the owner.  
  
"Gandalf? Gandalf...Oh, yes...I remember...Elderly chap. Big grey beard, pointy hat." We nodded in expectation. "Not seen him for six months." Frodo turned back to us, his face the same as ours; confused.  
  
"What do we do now?" Sam asked.  
  
"Sam...he'll be here. He'll come." Frodo told him for an answer. I nodded helpfully.  
  
We decided to sit and wait. Merry and Pippin got us some drinks and we commenced to sitting and hoping. I turned to Frodo, who was sitting next to me. "Don't worry; he's never broken a promise before." I tried to soothe him. He smiled, took my hand, and squeezed it. Under the table, of course because we had no intentions of letting Sam see. Although I think he was too wrapped up in thinking about the Shire than chaperoning me.  
  
Merry came back from the bar with another drink, ducking and avoiding the other people in the tavern. He sat next to Pip, who was sitting next to Sam. Pippin's eyes glazed over the drink, and then he did a double take. "What's that?"  
  
Merry smirked and said proudly, "This, my friend, is a pint." I sucked in my breath and let out a groan.  
  
"It comes in pints?" His eyes went wide for a second and then went back to normal. "I'm getting one!" He jumped from the bench and raced over to the bar.  
  
"You got a whole half already!" Sam yelled at him, but either Pip didn't care or couldn't hear, and he didn't turn around and come back. Sam sighed annoyingly and turned to Frodo. He pointed to a corner. "That fellow's done nothing but stare at you since we arrived." Frodo and I both looked over him at the same time. It was terribly hard to see him, but every few moments the pipe he was smoking would light up and you could see the outline of his face.  
  
The man from the front desk passed by our table and Frodo stopped him. "Excuse me...That man in the corner. Who is he?"  
  
The man looked disturbed by the question. "He's one of them Rangers. They're dangerous folk, wandering the wilds." He leaned closer and whispered so that we could hear. "What is right name is, I've never heard, but around here he's known as Strider." Again, I felt chills race down my back. Something was wrong, but I couldn't tell if the problem was this man named Strider or...something else.  
  
Frodo squeezed my hand again, let it go, and started to play with something in his pocket. Instantly I knew what it was, and I watched him twirl it in his fingers incoherently. Sam and I looked at each other cautiously when Frodo closed his eyes, lost in his own world.  
  
Then there came a voice from the bar. "Baggins? Sure, I know a Baggins." Frodo's eyes flashed open as pippin's voice carried over to our table. "He's over there" Pip pointed at us and Frodo stood up in urgency. "Frodo Baggins."  
  
"Oh, no...don't tell me he's gonna tell the family tree again..." I groaned to no one in particular. I couldn't watch, so I turned my head to look at the man called Strider. He was no longer sitting leisurely, but was now on the edge of his seat, ready to spring at any moment.  
  
"...My second cousin, once removed on his mother's side...and my third cousin, twice removed..." I switched back to what was going on with Frodo and Pippin.  
  
"Pippin!" Frodo shouted, trying to get Pippin down off the stool. Unfortunately, it backfired and Frodo was the one who fell onto the ground instead of Pip.  
  
"Steady on, Frodo." Pip said, taking another drink of whatever it was he had in his cup. He was obviously very drunk.  
  
Frodo fell and when he did something golden and shiny flew out of his hand. It was the ring. As he tried to grab it, it slipped onto his finger instead and, just like Bilbo, Frodo disappeared.  
  
The crowd at the bar hushed and gasped to see (or not see) such a sight and nearly everything got very quiet. I heard Strider get up from his chair, and, a few moments later, when Frodo reappeared under a table, he grabbed him by the neck of his shirt and pulled up some stairs at the back of the pub.  
  
I turned to Sam and Merry and the three of us pulled Pippin away from the bar and raced toward the stairs. On the way we found some candles and assorted things to fight with and we ran up the stairs two at a time.  
  
"Ready?" Sam said savagely and burst through the door. "Let him go! Or I'll have you, longshanks."  
  
My brother is a big embarrassment sometimes. And this was one of those times. "Sam," I whispered to him quietly. "Do me a favor and never use that word again." Sam ignored me as usual.  
  
"You have a stout heart, little hobbit." Strider said. Frodo looked fine, actually. Apparently, he was only being verbally abused. "But that will not save you." He turned back to Frodo. "You can no longer wait for the wizard, Frodo. They're coming."  
  
**...**  
  
I was having the most wonderful dream...we were all back in the Shire, eating, have a few laughs...but then the tide turned and there was fire and darkness everywhere. Everywhere I turned it was so hot...then so blistering cold that I thought I couldn't stand it anymore...until someone saved me. They took me in their arms and comforted me...I looked up to see their face and-  
  
A wailing, shrieking sound from across the street awoke me. For a minute I thought they had finally gotten to us, but then I remembered that we stuffed our beds with pillows and proceeded to fall asleep in Strider's apartments. Merry, Pippin, and I slept on the bed vertically while Sam and Frodo slept horizontally. It was terribly uncomfortable, but it was the most fulfilling sleep I had had in days.  
  
Frodo was already awake and the others awoke when I did. Frodo turned to Strider, who was in a chair, staring out the window and asked, "What are they?" He was referring to the black riders that had chased us.  
  
Strider silently looked all of us over and spoke. "They were once men. Great kings of Men. Then Sauron the Deceiver gave to the nine rings of power." The name of Sauron gave me goosebumps in what was an otherwise very warm bed. "Blinded by their greed, they took them without question. One by one falling into darkness. Now they are slaves to his will." All of us were hanging on his every word, intent on soaking every detail of the story. "They are the Nazgul. Ringwraiths. Neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the Ring...drawn to the power of the one. They will never stop hunting you." I swallowed hard and cast a look over at the others. We were white with fear, not knowing what to expect now.

* * *

Wow. That took me all day. And it's twelve pages! You people better review after this. Oh, and if there are some counting mistakes please remember that I turn my brain off during the summer, so...things might be different sometimes because I'm bad at stuff like that. I'm going to Galveston on Monday, so I will be writing, but I don't think I can update. Send in those reviews, though. I want to see my inbox full of them.  
  
I'm going to eat dinner now...see you people in about...the start of August. I'll try to find a computer, I swear!!  
  
Emmablk1 


	5. Rivendell and the Fellowship

Ok, I know it's been a while. Two weeks, actually. But don't kill me!! I wrote a lot during the weeks that I was gone and the whole chapter is 17 pages, ok!? That's the most I've ever written for a whole chapter! And all five chapters total 47 pages, which is the longest thing I've ever written that wasn't Interruptions. So please don't kill me, because I happen to think this chapter's really good. And if you do, I won't be able to write anything else...  
  
**Ceylon-** the story's basically just another take on LOTR, but it's better than the original because I wrote this one. ;) J/k. I'll write more, I promise.  
  
**Lady Knight19-** yah! I love returning reviewers almost as much as I love Tamora Pierce's books. Have you read the newest on she's published? I need to get that...oh, and don't worry about being overly dramatic. If I didn't have that character trait, than I probably wouldn't have written this story.  
  
**Sara-** ahem I'm not sure, but I'll try to look that up as soon as I can...;) glad you liked it, after all the guilt it took for me to get you to finally read it. And thanks for reading my thing on fictionpress; I was getting tired of having zero reviews.  
  
**Emma-Lee14-** sorry to tell you, but I think that 'Maiden Emily' is only in your dreams. lol. I think I burst your bubble there! But, I can set you up with Merry or Bilbo, if you insist...b/c Legolas is something to bribe and/or bait you with!  
  
**Frodo's sister-** I love your name. And I agree that FrodoSam fics just aren't right. After all, if that weren't the case, then I wouldn't have written this!! Enjoy the other chapters!  
  
I'm amazed that so many people like this! When I put this up I thought that it would become a side-story, but because I've gotten so many reviews, I can't work on anything else but this. (Of course, compared to other fics, this really isn't that much, but it's the most I've ever had.) I didn't realize how many other people didn't like FrodoSam fics like me. Ok, I've said that too many times, so you can just ignore me in the future. It just shows how stupid I really am.  
  
Yeah, just skip over that b/c I was just trying to get my story longer. J/k. I'm just attention deprived. ;) Enjoy!

**...** - means 'later'

* * *

Strider led us out into a forest and because we were so short, every branch on any tree kept hitting us in the face. It was enough to make a hobbit wish he were just a few feet taller. Plus, we weren't all that sure that Strider was that trustworthy. "Where are you taking us?" Frodo finally had enough courage to ask.  
  
Unfortunately, Strider wasn't one for talk. "Into the wild," He said simply, without turning around. Almost immediately Merry turned to Frodo.  
  
"How do we know this Strider is a friend of Gandalf?" He asked not very quietly. I was sure that Strider could hear every word that was said between us.  
  
"We have no choice but to trust him." Frodo said, his face not complying with his words. Merry looked at him and sighed loudly.  
  
Sam joined in with the questioning. "But where is he taking us?"  
  
Strider apparently was listening in on us. "To Rivendell, Master Gamgee." Sam's eyes widened at those words. I mouthed, 'huh?', but he didn't answer me. "To the house of Elrond."  
  
Sam turned to me, but talked loud enough for people still in the Shire to hear him. "Did you hear that?" I raised my eyebrows expectantly. "Rivendell," Sam exalted, his face glowing with anticipation. "We're going to see the elves."  
  
**...**  
  
By the time we took a rest, it had started snowing. Suddenly it got very cold and we didn't want to walk anymore without our next breakfast. As Sam and Frodo helped with the horse, Pippin, Merry and I started to get something else to eat; Strider got very impatient with us.  
  
"Gentlemen," He said. I cleared my throat noisily and he smiled lightly. "And lady," I smiled brightly. "We do not stop till nightfall."  
  
Pip looked at him as though he was crazy. "What about breakfast?" I could hear his stomach rumbling from where I was standing and I knew my stomach was aching, too.  
  
"You've already had it." Strider said as if one breakfast were normal.  
  
Pippin didn't let go once he started. "We've had one, yes." He questioned him again. "What about second breakfast?" Strider gave him a look and didn't answer. He turned around and started to walk again.  
  
Merry and I looked at Pippin, both thinking the same thing. "I don't think he knows about second breakfast, Pip." I said before Merry could.  
  
Pippin looked as if his dreams were shattered. His head went back and forth between the two of us, flashing faster and faster. "What about elevenses?" He asked. Merry and I shook our heads. "Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper?" Our head kept shaking no. "He knows about them, doesn't he?"  
  
Merry smiled half-heartedly. "I wouldn't count on it." He said as Pip looked distraught. Suddenly, as if in reponse to Pip's words, an apple came flying from over the trees in front of us. Merry caught it and handed it to Pippin, clapping him on the back at the same time and walked on. A few seconds later, a second apple flew over and hit Pippin on the head, making him stagger like a chicken with its head cut off. He looked up at the sky curiously.  
  
I heard Merry sigh from up ahead. "Pippin!" Pip looked at the apple as if it were a new concept. I took it from him.  
  
"If you won't eat it, I will." I explained and I bit into it. We caught up with Merry by Pip chasing after me, claiming that I had bitten into his apple.  
  
**...**  
  
We had hardly enough time to get some sleep that night before we were on the road again. Actually it wasn't a road, more like a marsh. Marshes to be exact. The water was all the way up to our thighs, although it was only to Strider's knees. For the first time in my life I wished I were taller.  
  
Mosquitoes the size of several large pastries were everywhere. Every time I took another step, I had to smack my face or arms to get the slimy bugs off me. Everyone else was having the same problem; even Strider had a couple of red welts on his face.  
  
Merry and Pippin were falling behind again, too lazy to catch up. From behind me, I could hear Merry sigh. "What do they eat when they can't get hobbit?" I asked to no one in particular. I stifled a laugh as Pippin fell face first into the water, spitting some out as he did. It felt good to laugh; it seemed as if we hadn't done that in forever. Maybe Frodo's bad attitude was rubbing off on me.  
  
**...**  
  
The marshes were large and we ended up having to spend the night in them. Thankfully, the mosquitoes had stopped biting me and had moved on to Sam. Strider grabbed us some dinner- a huge deer from somewhere that I couldn't fathom. We tried to lie down and sleep, but it was almost as impossible as sleeping out in the forest, except that the ground was too squishy and wet instead of dry and hard.  
  
The silence was stifling until I heard a soft tune not far from where I was. I sat up slightly and strained to hear the song coming from Strider. The words seemed blurred to my mind until I noticed that it wasn't in English. It was Elvish. How did Strider know Elvish?  
  
"Who is she?" Frodo's voice startled me out of the stupor that I had fallen into. "This woman you sing of." He too was sitting up and had been listening. Strider's eyes floated between the two of us, as if making sure we were worthy of hearing the story. Frodo looked over at me, just now realizing that I was there.  
  
"Tis the lady of Luthien. The elf-maiden who gave her love to Beren, a mortal." He answered after a minute or so. Frodo and I looked at him in wonder. Something was wrong with his story. I could feel it.  
  
Frodo pressed on for more information. "What happened to her?"  
  
Strider's face didn't change in the moonlight, but it seemed to get harder, as if he were thinking about something hard. Or someone. "She died." He said shortly, not exaggerating on anything. It was almost as if he didn't want to talk about it. "Get some sleep, Frodo. And you..." He searched around for my name and I realized that I had never given it to him.  
  
"Miriam." I told him. "My name is Miriam." He nodded shortly and raised his eyebrows at me, telling me mentally to go to sleep. "Oh, right. Sleep...I know." I turned away and laid back down, but as soon as I closed my eyes I heard another noise not too far away from me. Sam, who was near my right foot, was laughing at me. Swiftly I kicked him as hard as I could and was satisfied when I heard him whimper in pain. "Sorry," I whispered. "But you deserved it."  
  
**...**  
  
We walked even farther the next day, if that was even possible. It was nearing nightfall when we got to where Strider was leading us. It was a hilltop that looked like an ancient watchtower made of stone. "This was the great watchtower of Amon Sul." Strider explained to all five of us behind him. He turned around. "We shall rest here tonight."  
  
We struggled up to the top of the watchtower and fell down as soon as we got there. Even with our tough feet, we weren't used to walking so far in a whole day without a lot of food. The wind was terrible and, combined with the dark clouds; my hopes of a warm spot to sleep were dashed.  
  
As we sat, Strider pulled out a leather case and unraveled it, reveling five long swords, almost too big for us. "These are for you. Keep them close." He said as way of explanation, throwing them toward us, knocking the wind out of Sam and Merry. "I'm going to have a look around," He continued, "Stay here."  
  
He was gone for hours. Frodo had fallen asleep and, not to wake him up, the rest of us made a fire to cook our dinner and midnight snack. "My tomato's burst." Pip announced quietly as Sam finished up making the bacon.  
  
"Could I have some bacon?" Merry asked. I could hear his stomach growling from across the fire. Sam complied and handed him some bacon, mumbling something about how it should shut his tummy up.  
  
"Can I have some bacon, please?" I directed at Sam. He ignored me and ate some himself.  
  
"Want a tomato, Sam?" Pippin asked him, handing him a stick with a burnt tomato on it. Sam made a face.  
  
"Hello?" I asked again, "Bacon? Miriam? I think she would like some." Suddenly I heard stirring from over where Frodo was sleeping. No, not stirring, jumping.  
  
"What are you doing?!" He yelled, obviously no longer asleep.  
  
"Bacon!" I yelled at Sam, who threw some at my face.  
  
"We saved some for you, Mr. Frodo." Sam held out his uneaten burnt tomato.  
  
Frodo ignored him and yelled more. "Put it out, you fools! Put it out!" he flew over to the fire and stomped it out quickly, spreading ash everywhere.  
  
Pippin became very upset. "That's nice! Ash on my tomatoes!"  
  
"They were burnt anyway!" I protested. But, before Pippin had a chance to reply, a scream that sounded nothing like a person of any kind, screeched through the air and interrupted everything.  
  
Each of us nearly jumped a foot in the air. In mere seconds, all five of us were looking over the edge of the cliff and watching in fear as nine Ringwraiths sped through the thick mist surrounding us.  
  
"Go!" Frodo yelled at us. In panic we backed up and tried to pull out our swords at the same time, resulting in us shaking, terrified beyond our wits and not looking very menacing at all. We stood in a circle, trying to protect the ring. Well, I was trying to protect Frodo.  
  
They encircled us sooner than expected. "Back you devils!" Sam shouted, trying to brandish his sword and failing dismally. Not even two seconds later, he was flung to the ground by the closest wraith and Merry and Pippin soon followed. It was just me now, alone against nine specters in flowing robes of black. Not for long, though, as I was tossed aside to the hard ground as if I weighed nothing at all.  
  
As I recovered, I watched in horror as Frodo dropped his sword and fell. The rest of us looked at each other, wide-eyed. Frodo kept backing up; eventually landing himself in a corner as the leader Ringwraith raised its sword. Then I saw Frodo reach into his pocket and I knew what was going to happen. A few moments later, when he disappeared, I flinched and closed my eyes.  
  
Mere seconds later, there was a blood-curdling scream that made my eyes flash open. The Ringwraith had plunged its sword into thin air, or what looked like thin air. The four of us stared, confused, until Frodo reappeared underneath the blade.  
  
Then everything happened very quickly. There was a huge commotion from behind us as Strider emerged with a torch and began to fight off the wraiths. Not that I cared. "Frodo!" Sam and I called out at the same time. As Strider fought, we dodged the wraiths and ran over to him to see what damage had been done.  
  
"Miriam..." Frodo stumbled out through his obvious pain. "...Sam..." He looked into each of the four pairs of eyes surrounding him, but couldn't bear to say anything else. My mind wondered why and then everything cleared when I saw the gash in his left shoulder, bleeding profusely. Suddenly my eyes were brimming with tears as I hurriedly tried to wipe away some of the blood to avoid infection. I could have sworn that he looked up at me, his eyes grateful.  
  
"Strider!" Sam yelled at Strider while he finished fighting off the wraiths. "Help him, Strider!"  
  
The last of them gone in a blaze of fire, Strider rushed over to Frodo's side where the rest of us already were. "He's been stabbed by a Morgul bade." He explained, picking up the blade that the lead wraith had dropped after piercing Frodo. Instantly, when his had touched it, the blade collapsed, flowing into the wind like dust. Strider looked at us, face of stone. "This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs Elvish medicine."  
  
Quickly he led us down from the hilltop and into the thick trees in the other side, running silently with a new torch in hand and with Frodo in his arms. "Hurry!" he half-yelled, half-whispered to us, as we were lagging behind, not used to running so fast and far at the same time.  
  
"We're six days from Rivendell!" Sam shouted at him in a typical Sam way. "He'll never make it!" "No, you're wrong!" I cried out, ticked off and refusing to believe that anything more horrible than this would happen to Frodo. "Hold on, Frodo." I whispered, a silent prayer, letting the tears boil over onto my face.  
  
Frodo's scream pierced through the air like a knife and startled all of us. "Gandalf!" Quietly I wiped away my tears and vowed not to cry again until we made it to Rivendell and this was all some terrible dream.  
  
**...**  
  
Hours later it was still dark and we were still moving. We stopped to rest, partly to check out how bad Frodo was and partly to rest our aching feet. It was then that we came upon the most unlikely sight. "Look Mr. Frodo, its Mr. Bilbo's trolls." Sam said excitedly, trying desperately to get Frodo to answer to something. He pointed up to the chunks of stone that we had heard about in stories told by Bilbo an infinite number of times.  
  
Frodo didn't respond; he chocked on his breath. He was looking awful, with a pale, sweaty face and his eyes glazed over. "Frodo?" I whispered worriedly. "He's going cold." I ran one hand over his forehead and face, trying to make him warm again, and held his hand with my other.  
  
Pippin glanced over at Strider and spoke quietly, "Is he going to die?" I looked over at him in disbelief that he would actually ask that.  
  
"He's passing into the Shadow World." Strider told him, turning around to look at Frodo. "He'll soon become a wraith like them." As if complying with these words, Frodo's breath caught inside his throat again and he stopped breathing for a few minutes.  
  
"They're close." Merry said absentmindedly, staring out into the distance. Unwillingly, he made everyone's nerves skyrocket.  
  
Strider suddenly called Sam over, an idea striking him. "Sam," he said, "Do you know the Athelas plant?"  
  
"Athelas?" Sam asked, confused.  
  
"Kingsfoil." Strider replied, explaining in simpler terms.  
  
"Kingsfoil; aye," He nodded, his gardening skills finally coming in handy. "It's a weed."  
  
"It may help to slow the poisoning." Sam's eyes widened, but he stood rooted to the spot. "Hurry!" Strider told him and he ran through the trees, looking for the plant. Strider went looking, too, in the other direction to cover more ground.  
  
We were left alone with no light, each attending to their own business. Merry and Pip were too quiet, but I wasn't very concerned with that. I was on the verge of tears again, having such a hard time hiding them that I didn't hear Pippin come from behind me.  
  
"Everything's going to be al-" he started, putting his arm around me, but he couldn't finish his sentence as I let go of Frodo's hand and held onto him for comfort, not really caring who it was that gave it to me. "He's not going to die." Pip said, trying to pinpoint what was really bothering me, but I barley heard him.  
  
Unexpectedly, there came the beating of a horse coming from the direction that Strider had gone. I looked up from Pip's grasp and saw the woman riding on the horse quickly getting off. Frodo suddenly stopped choking and turned his head, his eyes widening a little more. It was then that I noticed how truly terrible he looked- veins popping and green mixed in with a pasty white color were not good colors for him.  
  
Merry, who had finally snapped out of the ravine he was in, whispered to us. "Who is she?"  
  
The woman seemed to come floating on the ground to Frodo. She didn't seem quite human, yet not quite anything else. I was having trouble placing her accent, too. "Frodo?" she said worriedly, getting down onto her knees and reaching for him.  
  
I moved out of Pippin's arms to help her, and then suddenly shrank back, realizing who she was. "She's an elf." I said, amazed, looking around at the others.  
  
Instantly the elf was down to business. "He's fading. He's not going to last." She turned to Strider. "We must get him to my father. I've been looking for you for two days." Strider carried Frodo over to her horse and she following, neither thinking to explain anything to the rest of us.  
  
"Where are you taking him?" I said loudly, so that they could hear me. They didn't listen and kept right on walking.  
  
"There are five wraiths behind you." The elf continued, "Where the other four are, I do not know." My spine tingled; I had forgotten that the Ringwraiths were still after us.  
  
Then the speech turned. It was no longer English, but I was never good at recognizing speech. "It's Elvish," Sam explained in my ear, because he knows how long it may take for me to get something. The talk continued, leaving us behind in the dust.  
  
"What are they saying?" Pippin asked, probably still not getting anything in a typical Took way.  
  
The she-elf looked at Strider confidently. "I do not fear them." As if they knew something we didn't, Strider covered her hand with his, either in affection or in comfort.  
  
"Arwen..." he said. "Ride hard, don't look back." She nodded and got on her horse, riding off with Frodo in front of her.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Sam yelled at them. "Those wraiths are still out there!" Strider neither glanced at him nor tried to stop the elf from riding on.  
  
He just turned around silently and said, "We'll have to hurry to catch up with them." He looked at our blank faces and tried to motivate us. "The sooner we get there, the sooner we find out if Frodo is alright." That got us to move a whole lot faster.  
  
**...  
**  
So we were moving again, but this time it wasn't as fun (if it ever was fun.) as the last. The constant thought that something terrible had probably happened to Frodo was looming in my mind and most likely in everyone else's.  
  
I hardly paid any attention to where I was stepping, but just kept a constant gaze on the feet of whoever was in front of me, leading me toward wherever we were going. Sam even had a hard time trying to get me to eat something.  
  
"C'mon, Mira," He said, calling me by my old nickname. I was squatting down in the dirt, ignoring everyone who crossed my path. Sam was trying to tempt me with more food. "You've got to eat something. After all, we've missed elevensies." I gave him a look and he backed away, taking the last piece of sausage with him. I sighed and traced my finger in the dirt, wondering where we even were.  
  
I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. My muscles tensed, but then I realized that the something was Pippin. He squatted down in front of me and turned his head sideways in confusion. "What do you want?" I asked harshly, trying to get him to go away. I was in no mood to talk.  
  
"You can't spend all your time brooding." He told me, smiling a little. I didn't look into his eyes, but flicked a rock into a nearby bush. "It's not healthy." He went on, desperately trying to get me to talk.  
  
"What do I care?" I said rhetorically. Pip moved his head to the other side and said nothing. A long silence went by, making my nerves act up with frustration. "Will you just say something already?!" I roared, making the others turn their heads towards us. Pippin fell backwards from the force of my words, laughing the entire time. "What!?" I said quieter.  
  
"You're ugly when you're angry!" He sputtered, laughing so hard that he was clutching his side. I looked at him in horror, mouth open in the injustice of it all.  
  
"How dar..." I started, but Pip gave me these huge puppy dog eyes and I stopped. We fell into the quiet once more. After a minute or two, I said, "Thank you." He looked up at me questionably. "What do you mean?"  
  
I sighed and sat down on the ground, giving my legs a rest. "What I mean is that...well...Thank you for helping me the other night." He still looked confused, so I went on. "I needed some comfort and you help me." He nodded and smiled proudly, finally getting it.  
  
"It was nothing."  
  
"No, it really showed how good a friend you are to me, and I just wanted to- " He stopped me.  
  
"Friend?" He said. Now I was the one who was confused.  
  
"Of course 'friend.' What else would you be?" He swallowed and nodded curtly, mumbling something about needing to eat some more before it was all gone. He stood up, walking away silently, leaving me all alone. I was confused, thinking, 'Was it something I said?' I rubbed my forehead in frustration, trying to get rid of the terrible headache that had just cropped up.  
  
And, as we left the next morning, I spent the rest of the trip not talking, too deep into my own thoughts.  
  
**...**  
  
Rivendell was and still is, beautiful. That's the only word there is to describe it. In an instant, my version of what beautiful was changed and it never has again. The sight was breathtaking and the five of us stood there, gaping, for at least a full three minutes. Sam, who has wanted to see the elves more than anything, couldn't believe his eyes. The only thing I was concerned about was if Frodo was alright.  
  
Strider led us to our rooms first, not telling us where Frodo was, or if he was even alive. Apparently, he had something of his own to do.  
  
The inside was as radiant as the outside. The furniture was made out of the smoothest woodwork and shaped into intricate designs. I couldn't help but stare at the beauty all around me. I felt like a princess in a palace.  
  
I stood there for a few seconds and then suddenly remembered how filthy and smelly I was. I hadn't had a bath for about a week. I carefully sniffed my clothes and pulled away very quickly. How could I even think of finding Frodo with this garbage on? I even had some sort of manure on my back, most likely from when Sam and I were underneath the window in the Shire. I decided to take a nice warm bath before I looked around. I saw a wardrobe in the corner and opened it, finding at least twenty different dresses made of the finest silk, each the perfect size for a hobbit. Thinking it was a miracle; I grabbed a shining red one and headed toward the bathroom.  
  
**...**  
  
After a thoroughly relaxing bath, I wandered around for a bit. The whole place was magnificent. I simply couldn't catch every little thing there was to see. I tried to check behind every door for Frodo's room, but most of them were locked or magically sealed. Then, just as I was about to give up hope and turn around, there was someone that caught my eye.  
  
Sitting on a bench, wrapped up in his book, was Bilbo Baggins. It was amazing. I had thought for sure that he had either died or was still in the Shire somewhere, but there he was, lounging quietly without a care in the world. Just as I was about to go up to him, there came a din of noises from behind me.  
  
I whipped around and my heart skipped a beat. Frodo was out of bed and he had been right behind me. I was fairly certain that he was going to sneak up on me, but he caught sight of my brother, Merry, and Pippin. They were having a fabulous reunion, hugging and laughing as if they hadn't seen each other in a year. I didn't want to interrupt, but then Frodo saw me and his eyes widened.  
  
"Miriam..." he said, sliding out of the bear hug the other three had him in and coming to me. He reached me, touched my hand, and then saw who was behind me. "Bilbo!" He cried and pulled me along with him to see his uncle. He let go of my hand to hug his favorite relative. I smiled, but was cursing inside at the missed chance to be semi-alone with Frodo.  
  
"Hello, Frodo, my lad," Bilbo beckoned both of us over to look at the book he had been reading. We each sat under the covering near us as Frodo pulled me next to him and put his arm around my shoulder, making me shiver inside involuntarily.  
  
Bilbo hadn't been reading; he had been writing. He put the thick book in between Frodo and me so that we both could see. "'There and Back Again; A Hobbit's Tale by Bilbo Baggins.' " Frodo read aloud, laughing in surprise. "This is wonderful!" I nodded enthusiastically, forgetting my own selfish reasons to come to Rivendell. Bilbo smiled and stood up, looking out into the distance, thinking hard.  
  
"I meant to go back..." Suddenly the mood changed. With a few simple words, Bilbo had managed to turn our feelings into a complete turn-around. "Wonder at the powers of Mirkwood...Visit Lake-Town...See the Lonely Mountain again," He turned around and faced us. We were hanging on his every word, wondering where this was leading. "But age, it seems, has finally caught up with me." Immediately after he had said this, his outward appearance changed to me. He looked older, not as young as he had back in the Shire. His hair looked bleached white by the sun and his face seemed to have shriveled.  
  
"I miss the Shire." Frodo said, startling me. "I spent all my childhood pretending I was off somewhere else." He smiled up at Bilbo as if he were cracking a joke. "Off with you, on one of your adventures. But my own adventure turned out to be quite different." He turned serious. "I'm not like you, Bilbo."  
  
Bilbo came closer and touched his cheek. "My dear boy." I sat there, half torn to walk away to give them a moment and to sit there and soak in what I was seeing, because, things being as they were, Frodo probably wouldn't be able to spend much more time with Bilbo.  
  
**...**  
  
The night was dark and you could see the stars for miles around. It was the perfect night, in my opinion. And, after I chased Sam around screaming bloody murder for about an hour, he finally gave me directions to where Frodo's room was, which just made the night more perfect.  
  
Still slightly tired from chasing Sam around, I walked slowly toward Frodo's door, trying to make my breath less labored. I made my knock quieter than I anticipated and I cringed outwardly, thinking no one, unless they were listening for it, would hear it. Then, as I began to walk away dejectedly, I heard the door creak open and froze.  
  
"Miriam?" I heard his disembodied voice ask into the darkness of the hall. "Is that you?" I turned around and smiled awkwardly, realizing that I hadn't thought this all the way through.  
  
"Sorry..." I muttered, searching through my mind and trying to find the words to make it sound like I wasn't stalking him. "I just thought that we really didn't have a chance to talk to each other today and..." I trailed off and tried to smile again. He grinned at me and opened to door wider.  
  
I stood there for a minute, my mind not contemplating what was happening. When Frodo started to laugh, I snapped out of my thoughts and wondered, dazed, if this was really what I thought it was. "C'mon," He said and finally came out from behind the door and pulled me into the room.  
  
"So you wanted me in here that much?" I teased him, making him blush. Instantly I regretted that I even thought about saying that. I looked around the room for comfort as he let go of my arm rather quickly. "Wow," I commented, "They definitely gave you the better deal." He laughed again and my self esteem lifted. "I mean," I went on, unable to stop myself, "Look at this!" I twirled around the room, demonstrating how huge it was. "The ceiling is the tallest thing I've ever seen in my life!" I turned around, finding a large balcony behind me. "Wow..." I breathed, finding that the sight from where I was standing took my breath away.  
  
I felt Frodo's presence as he stood about four feet away from me, not any more or any less. I was getting the feeling that he didn't want me to be here. My thoughts were confirmed when he squirmed uncomfortably as he noticed me watching him. "I can leave, you know." I said, my words biting into the air like frostbite. He said nothing. I sighed quietly and slowly turned around, embarrassed at myself for being so stupid. My feet only got two steps before Frodo spoke silently.  
  
"Don't go." It was so quiet I almost didn't hear it at first. Even though I wanted to twirl around and leap into his arms, I steadied my composure and went back to my place at the balcony, this time only two feet away from him. He seemed nervous and looked hesitant.  
  
I nearly laughed at the silence between us. "You can move closer, if you want to. We're friends, right?" I looked at him and smiled the best I could without my heart breaking from waiting for his rejection.  
  
It took a while for him to speak. "I dare not to." He answered with difficulty. I looked questionably at him.  
  
"Why not?" My heart couldn't stop beating and I wanted to pinch myself to check if this all was a dream or not.  
  
"...B-" He started, not quite able to get the words out, "...Because I don't trust my heart when I am near you." He choked, trying his hardest not to look at me.  
  
My mind thought I was playing a trick on myself. How could this be happening to me? It was the best thing I had heard in my entire life, but I had no idea what he meant by it. "W-What do you m-mean?" I stammered, my hope at being nonchalant gone out the window.  
  
He finally looked up at me, after staring at the sights below us. My mind is still blurry about whether there were tears in his eyes or I was just imagining things. He was inching closer and my mind was playing scenes from my life as if I were about to die. But, as he took his hand in mine, our fingers lacing together of their own accord, everything that was going on in my mind and heart stopped as if time had frozen itself. He touched my check, his eyes never leaving mine, as if they were locked together and were piercing through one another.  
  
Frodo leaned forward through the last several inches of space between us and whispered, "I'm going to kiss you now..." And closing his eyes, our lips finally met, as if they were pulled together magnetically.  
  
I still cry when I think about that first kiss that we shared. If hasn't left my mind, not even for a second. There was something about it- the passion, the joy, or maybe just the fact that we were both feeling that we were meant for each other at the same time- that gave it extra meaning. Whenever I'm scared and frightened, just knowing that the kiss actually was meant to be is enough.  
  
My mind had gone blank, my head was whirling, my heart was beating a thousand times faster than normal, but I ignored it all. It couldn't have lasted for more than a few seconds, but for us it was pure bliss that seemed to have lasted forever.  
  
When we finally pulled away, everything seemed to snap back on again and I seemed to have registered what had just happened. But I didn't care. I fell into his arms and he held me tight, not letting go for anything in the world.  
  
Then a thought came across my brain. Suddenly I gasped and pulled out from his warm arms a little. He gazed at me with a 'what's-the-matter?' look on his face. "What are we going to do about Sam?" I asked, still slightly holding onto him, but now more frightened about the thought of my brother finding out than comforted by his embrace.  
  
Frodo laughed and leaned forward to whisper to me. "Should I give you two some time alone?" I was confused for a few seconds, but then I heard a noise from the plants behind where we were on the balcony. I ran out of Frodo's arms and was there in an instant.  
  
"SAMWISE GAMGEE!" I screamed, picking and practically throwing Sam out of the bushes that were conveniently placed on the balcony. "WHAT THE BLOODY DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" I could see Frodo trying to stop laughing in the corner of my eye. Sam was standing up and dusting himself off, thinking of something to say to me that wouldn't incur my wrath upon him.  
  
"It wasn't my fault!" He said in his defense. "I was just visiting Frodo to see if he was alright; how was I supposed to know you would come in and you two would start snogging?" Immediately Frodo stopped laughing and started to yell at Sam with me, our voices rising louder and louder.  
  
"We were not-" I started, my voice mixing with Frodo's.  
  
"Nothing was going to happ-" Frodo said. We stopped and looked at each other, hearing was the other was about to say and we each blushed furiously. Sam looked hopeful that this would distract me and I wouldn't beat him up later. He never was good at hoping for the right things.  
  
After a moment of silence, I was the first to slice through the quiet. "Just you wait, Samwise Gamgee. Just. You. Wait." Sam's face paled and he looked between the two of us, decided the best thing to do would to be to run, and screeched into the hallway.  
  
We waited a full three seconds before bursting out into laughing. "Did you see the look on his face?!" I asked, my side hurting from the laughter.  
  
Frodo managed to say, "So you really aren't going to hurt him, then?" in between laughing and I stopped to look at him. His laughter died away.  
  
"Of course not." I said gently. "If I killed him, who would I have to save me from you?" He raised his eyebrows, not sure if I was joking or not. I smiled mysteriously and gave him a sweet peck on the cheek before walking halfway out the door.  
  
"You're not serious, are you?" He asked fearfully. I turned around and smiled the same taunting smile. He waited for my answer, but I just blew him a kiss and walked back to my room, leaving him wondering.  
  
**...  
**  
The next morning I awoke bright and early, enjoying my new-found news about the love of my life. (I know that sounds corny. Well, I was happy and when you're happy, you're not thinking straight, right?) Instantly I was out of bed and dressed, not worrying about breakfast for the first time in my life. I quickly ran down to Frodo's room and knocked quietly.  
  
When I didn't get an answer, I opened the door slowly, wondering what was going on. Inside, it looked like no one was even living there. The bed was made and there was no evidence that anyone had even used the bathroom that morning. Thinking for an instant that something had happened and they chose to leave me, I felt scared and alone. Banishing the thought, I ran outside and looked for signs of anyone, finding nothing.  
  
Then I came upon the right place to be. Partly hidden behind some trees and bushes, there was what seemed to be a council. And right in between those bushes, getting a close-up look of what was gong on, was Sam.  
  
I sneaked up on him whispering, "What's all this about?" He jumped a little, but I could see that his eyes were on something in the middle of the huge circle that included Strider, Frodo, Gandalf, The Lord Elrond, and others I didn't recognize. There was a pedestal and on it sat the Ring. The sight sent shivers up and down my spine. I had no idea how such a small and innocent looking thing could be so evil.  
  
A man with red hair was talking, saying something about a dream. It was rather hard to hear. I ignored him until Gandalf called out, "Boromir!" and the sky went dark as he uttered unknown words. I clung to Sam and, thankfully, it was over quickly. "What's going on?" I asked again and this time Sam spoke.  
  
"They're deciding what's to be done about the Ring." He said simply. I must have looked confused, so he went on. "Something big is about to happen. And we must band together." Still confused, I started to listen in on what was just said.  
  
"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" The red-haired man named Boromir had asked Strider. Quickly a blond elf stood up to defend Strider. (A/N: AND ALL THE FANGIRLS IN THE STUDIO AUDIENCE GO WILD!!)  
  
"This is no mere Ranger." He said harshly, "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him you're allegiance."  
  
Boromir seemed stunned. By what I didn't know; the words the elf had spoken had no meaning to me. "Aragorn. This is Isildur's heir?"  
  
"Who's Isildur?" I whispered to Sam, but he kept listening, ignoring me.  
  
I listened to the rest of what they were saying. And I finally got the picture that I had been missing for so long. The Ring would destroy us all by a power that we thought had been long gone for hundreds of years. But, then again, the Shire didn't fully rely on news of the outside world. The Ring had to be destroyed. I was snapped out of my thoughts as there came an uproar from the crowd, everyone but Frodo out of their seat and screaming for their race to take on this task simply because they didn't trust the other races.  
  
Then everything changed. Suddenly Frodo stood up. "I will take it." He said quietly. "I will take it. I will take the ring to Mordor." Everyone went deathly quiet. They stared at the small hobbit who had so much courage. "Though..." He said. "I do not know the way."  
  
Gandalf was the first to react. "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins." He went and stood behind him. "As long as it is yours to bear."  
  
Strider, now Aragorn to me, stood up; ready to do what he thought was right. "If by my life or death I can protect you..." He said, "I will." He knelt before Frodo, showing him his sword. "You have my sword." Aragorn stood beside Gandalf behind Frodo.  
  
The blond elf stepped forward also. "And you have my bow." He said, referring to the fact that all elves were the best in bow and arrow. He took his place next to Aragorn.  
  
"And my ax." A dwarf who had spoken earlier added, hurrying to stand behind him, too.  
  
Boromir stood up and looked Frodo directly in the eye. "You carry the fate of us all, little one." He pursed his lips. "If this is the will of the council...then Gondor will see it done." He too went next to the others.  
  
Without warning, Sam jumped up, making a small noise, from beside me and yelled, "Hey! Frodo's not going anywhere without me." I sighed quietly and rolled my eyes at my overprotective brother.  
  
Lord Elrond had much of the same attitude. "Indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you..." He smiled slightly. "Even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."  
  
I was about to step out from the bushes when there came another cry from over inside the building. I saw two light-haired creatures run quickly to them and I suddenly realized it was Merry and Pippin.  
  
"We're coming, too! You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us." Merry said defiantly at Lord Elrond.  
  
Pippin spoke up. "Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of..." he searched around for the word. "Mission...Quest...Thing." He concluded.  
  
Before anyone could object otherwise, I climbed out from the bushes. "Well, that rules you out, Pip." I said, hurrying over right next to Frodo, grabbing his hand as Pip tried to figure out what I had meant by that. Frodo smiled gratefully at me, as though he was scared I wasn't coming.  
  
"Ten companions." Elrond concluded, looking around at all of us. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring." There was a silence that followed his words that gave me goosebumps. Trust Pippin to ruin it.  
  
"Great!" He said rather loudly. "Where are we going?" I groaned loudly.  
  
**...  
**  
The rest of our time spent at Rivendell was spent packing for the journey. Sam figured that I really wasn't going to flog him and he set about helping me pack lightly. He really is good at packing for some unknown reason.  
  
Again, I could feel a vibe that told me things were different with Frodo and me once more. I hadn't even had a chance to talk to him since the other night. I could feel my heart being weighted down because of it and I secretly hoped he was feeling the same.  
  
As we queued up in front of Elrond, I could see that everyone who wasn't showing their fear was hiding it. I had a sinking feeling that none of us were really strong enough to take this on, even with each other to lean on. Lord Elrond was talking, but I wasn't listening until he said, "The Fellowship awaits the Ring-Bearer."  
  
Frodo looked scared, but determined. I tried to stay as close as I could to him; right behind Gandalf. And, as we walked slowly out of Rivendell, I heard Frodo whisper to Gandalf, "Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?"  
  
Gandalf swallowed and said just as quietly, "Left."  
  
We followed Frodo out of the city and across the bridge into the unknown. I was serenely hoping that my trust in him would stand up against the odds that we were about to face.

* * *

Was that better? I wrote while I was in Galveston and it ended up being 17 pages!!! I feel like singing 'Joy to the World!' but I won't. No, I have a very lovely singing voice, thank you. I'M NOT LYING!! Sigh. People just don't believe anyone anymore...lol. I had too much caffeine... ;) I wrote a whole lot of pages today...maybe I should just stop typing because I'm really rambling. ;)  
  
Well, send in a review so I can finally get to the 20 mark. And by the way, that is actually NOT the most reviews I've ever had. I have a total of 70 reviews on both chapters of Interruptions, but I counted them all up because Interruptions is on three different sites. Hey! People on Astronomy Tower are better at reviewing than you people are! SHOW THEM UP AND REVIEW MY STUFF!! Unless you happen to review on both, because then you're just one of those nice people who review a lot.  
  
Lol...man...I really need some sleep...  
  
Emmablk1


	6. I Hate Walking

Hello again!! I swear it took me forever to get all the dialogue and everything that I needed to write this chapter…or maybe it was because I was too lazy to write it all down…hmm...that's a toughie… ;)

**I Like Mints- **Ahh! Isn't that cute! You blush easily! Sorry, I couldn't help it… ;) lol, maybe you should get some sleep…not that I mind all the sucking up to me…j/k. Really! I'm in Woman's Choir this year for my freshman year and only six freshmen made it! The rest are sophomores and juniors and seniors! Hey! Don't turn your back on me!! j/k. Go tease Sam. I haven't crushed his spirit lately…j/k.

**Changlingchild1- **Jessie, you're so nice to me…thank you, thank you!  And, well…I actually wasn't on a sugar rush, but…uh…saying that does nothing to prove that I used spell check on the last chapter…

**KevinClarkzLOVAA- **Thanx! You are awesome..! I think that I'll use your suggestion, although I'm not going to tell you which one… :P

**Moulin-Rouge-Pirate- **Thanx for all the reviews! And you'll get that DVD whenever you send me $19.95 and shipping and handling…j/k. Yeah, I was trying to make it plainly obvious that Pip likes her…it comes in at the end. And you're more than welcome to beat up Folco Buffin. I didn't like him that much, anyways. Oh, and I don't know if this is gonna crush you or anything, but…Orlando Bloom is actually NOT the main character of the story…lol, I need to tell some of my friends that sometimes…

**Crazzymonkey- **wow, I haven't heard from you in a while. Since the first chapter, actually…nice to talk to you again! I'm trying as hard as I can to get this chapter out and posted, but school started right whenever I was writing and now I have no time…got to focus on my grades, you know… ;)

Hey, you people don't mind that I take up half the space of the story with all this (look up…) do you? I like talking to my readers, and besides, I make up for it by each chapter being longer than the one before it, right? Right? –sigh-

I'll stop doing it if you want me to… (Forgive me while I cry…j/k)

On with the show!! 

It has come to my attention that I hate walking. I absolutely hate it. Running is worse, but walking always will make me cringe from now on. Although, when you're walking to destroy some evil ring that will kill everyone in the world, walking seems less tedious. Wait, I meant more tedious…

Not that the scene around us wasn't spectacular. When we were treading through the grasslands there was a rock that looked scarily similar to Sam's potato-like head. I took the liberty of pointing it out to him. And though I still have the lump on my head and the scary thought that we are related carried around with me, it was definitely worth it.

The mountains looked too large to be real. I had never seen them before in my life and I couldn't help but stare. "We must hold to this course, west of the Misty Mountains, for forty days," Gandalf interrupted my thoughts, making me jump and stop looking out at the mountain tops.

My brain caught up with what he had said. "Forty days?!" I squealed, almost fainting thinking about all the walking time. We had been walking in a line for what seemed like forever. Gandalf in the lead, then Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Merry, Me, Pippin, Sam and the horse, Bill, Boromir, and last but not least, Aragorn. Pip and Merry laughed at me, succeeding in me giving them a double death glare.

On the other hand, Frodo smiled and gave me a long hug, whispering, "I'll carry you if need be." I hugged him back gratefully and enjoyed the stares we were getting from Merry, Pippin and Sam. (Although Sam's stare was more of his own double death glare at the two of us…) (A/N: Ahh! That's so cute!!)

"If our luck holds," Gandalf continued, ignoring everyone else, "The Gap of Rohan will still be open to us." As Frodo let go, I hesitantly put my head on his shoulder, not sure when we'd have time to be close again after all the walking, because I knew I was going to collapse after that and not be able to remember being close to him.

After several gruesome hours of constantly being on my feet, we finally stopped to rest on some huge rocks and bushes. Sam, of course, immediately started cooking varied meats and vegetables. From somewhere in his hulking bag he produced several loaves of bread and a skillet.

I stared at him wordlessly, my mouth hung open in amazement. I turned to Frodo, who was sitting right next to me, and said, "Where does he keep it all?" Frodo looked to where I was pointing and laughed shortly.

"Want to see something even scarier?" He asked, turning back around. "Take a look at Merry and Pip." I gazed down at them, lifting high their swords as Boromir tried to teach them how to hold it right. Aragorn sat close by, smoking his pipe calmly.

"Oh no…" I thought aloud. "Someone's got to put a stop to this…" Frodo laughed as I hopped down from the rock and sat closer to watch Pippin and Merry screw up.

"Two, one, five," Boromir called out, watching the two show him the moves that he had just taught them twenty minutes ago. "Good! Very good…" He started to fight one-on-one with Pip. Pippin frowned in concentration, his eyes flickering over to where I was every few moments. "Move your feet!" Boromir commanded and Pip moved to not get trampled over.

"You look good, Pippin." Merry remarked, sounding surprised. I smiled despite myself. Pip did look a little…different fighting like that.

'No! Stop that!' I scolded my mind. 'You're in love with Frodo….repeat after me…You're in love with Frodo…' Where were these new feelings popping up from?

"Thanks!" Pippin smiled. I laughed at him and I swore I saw his eyes flicker toward me, but I threw the thought away and told myself that it was just the sun playing tricks on me.

"Faster!" Boromir shouted, switching to Merry. Merry jumped back a bit, unprepared for the attack.

I heard laughing from above. I looked up and saw Sam and Frodo eating and watching the swordplay. Well, Sam was eating, but Frodo was staring at me. I smiled and winked. He grinned back and pointed with his fork at his plate, indicating that he had some food left over. Never a hobbit to pass up food, I scrambled back on top of the rock and sat next to him, using my fingers to eat the rest of his food.

"Hey! Don't take all of it!" He objected and we fought over the plate, laughing like two little children. It was fun until the plate slipped out of our hands (Because of all the grease; I keep telling Sam not to cook such fatty foods, but does he listen to me? Noo…) and fell onto the rock, cracking in two, and slid down into the bushes. Frodo and I looked at each other in shock for a few moments, and then slowly turned around to face Sam.

Sam looked livid; his face was bight red and veins were popping out on his neck. "Uh…Sammy?" I asked cautiously, using his old nickname so that he wouldn't get too mad and go on a psycho rampage and kill us all. He glanced up from the spot where the plate fell.

"Please don't be mad, it was all Miriam's fault." Frodo told him. I elbowed him in the stomach and we both tried hard not to laugh. Sam said nothing, but stood up and went down to retrieve the platter. We waited until he was out of earshot and then burst out laughing.

"Did you see his face?!" I cried, wiping tears from my eyes. Frodo was unable to say anything; he was laughing too hard.

"If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I note they're not," Gimli's voice carried over to where we were. I looked up and saw that he was standing on top of a higher rock, looking out into the distance. Legolas was opposite him, on another rock, looking the other way. Gandalf was sitting on a rock, smoking his pipe, between them.

I cocked my head sideways. "I didn't know that there was a rivalry between dwarves and elves." Frodo gave me a look and started to giggle. "What?" I asked, not knowing that I said something plainly obvious.

"Nothing," He said. I elbowed him in the stomach again, which only made him laugh harder. "You're so naive!" he finally sputtered. He smiled and ruffled my hair.

"Hey!" I cried out. "I'm not that much younger than you! Don't treat me like a child!" He rolled his eyes at me.

"If you two would stop flirting," Sam said, climbing back onto the rock. What he was going to say next however, was cut off by Gimli.

"I'd say we were taking the long way 'round." Gandalf just glanced at him. "Gandalf," Gimli continued, walking over to where he was sitting. "We could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin, Balin, would give us a royal welcome." We waited eagerly for an answer.

Gandalf puffed on his pipe for a moment before telling him, "No, I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice." Out of all of us, he seemed the most wary of our journey. Legolas suddenly ran over to the other side, where Gimli was, and started to check if everything was alright over there.

There was a screech of pain from behind us and we turned around instantly, ready to tackle whatever it was. It was nothing to get excited about. Boromir had accidentally hit Pip's hand with his sword and was apologizing over and over again. Pippin held his hand like it was a deep wound, but I couldn't even see a scratch on it.

"Sorry!" Boromir said once again. In response, Pip kicked him as hard as he could and Boromir knelt over in semi-pain.

"Get him!" Merry shouted and he and Pippin both attacked Boromir, knocking him to the ground and tackling him, hitting him over and over again. Aragorn, who had been strangely silent through the whole display, chuckled a little, just enough that no one could hear him.

"For the Shire!" Merry yelled, still not letting up on beating Boromir up, even though he obviously wasn't getting hurt from their blows. Boromir tried to get up, but Pip held him to the ground.

"Hold him." Pip said, having trouble holding him down now that Boromir wanted to get up. "Hold him down, Merry!" Boromir started to laugh at their attempts to hold him.

Aragorn, who, I guessed, had enough of the horseplay, stood up and tried to get Merry and Pip off Boromir. "Gentlemen, that's enough." He said sternly, but Merry and Pip were never ones to follow orders. That was one of the reasons why they have never yet helped set out food for a gathering; they eat it all before anyone else can get to it.

Sensing that their fun might be over, Pip and Merry looked at each other, then both went for Aragorn's legs and flipped him over. Sam, Frodo and I couldn't stop laughing. I closed my eyes to make them stop tearing up.

"You've got my arm! You've got my arm!" I heard Pippin shouting, but I had no idea what was going on now. I was too busy trying to make my sides stop hurting.

Suddenly Sam stopped laughing. "What is that?" He said, and I opened my eyes. Coming our way quickly, there was something that looked like a black cloud.

Gimli was looking at it too. "Nothing," He told Sam, "It's just a wisp of cloud."

Merry, Pippin, Boromir, and Aragorn stopped fighting. "It's moving fast. Against the wind." Boromir stated. We all stared at it.

When it was a little closer, Legolas instantly knew what it was. "Crebain from Dunland!" He yelled and we all looked at each other confused.

"Hide!" Aragorn shouted at us and suddenly there was a frenzy of panic and trying to grab everything in sight. Frodo grabbed the blankets and Sam stomped the fire out and took the food with him.

"Hurry!" Boromir yelled at us.

Aragorn came from nowhere and said, "Frodo! Take cover!" He quickly grabbed his sword while running toward some bigger rocks to get under. Frodo took my hand and pulled me under the rock with Sam and Aragorn.

There was a few seconds of silence and then they came very quickly. They were so fast that I couldn't tell whether they were birds or bats, but they swooped down and covered everything they could, making cawing noises the entire time. It looked as if it were pitch black while they flew by, because there were so many of them.

Then, just a quickly as they came, they were gone again. It was silent as if they hadn't even come. Everyone came out from their hiding places, scared to crawl out in case they really hadn't gone.

"Spies of Saruman," Gandalf said, explaining. "The passage south is being watched. We must take the Pass of Caradhras." He looked to the mountains and I suddenly had the feeling that I didn't pack enough blankets.

Let me tell you; walking is bad enough, but walking in the snow is even worse. Several times everyone tripped and fell a few feet backwards, making it practically impossible to walk more than a couple of feet at once.

Frodo, who was helping me stand after a nasty fall, didn't seem the same since Rivendell or that day on the rock. I hadn't seen him smile in such a long time; I had forgotten that he used to smile nonstop. We took a couple of steps, but almost instantly Frodo lost his footing and rolled down the hill towards Aragorn.

"Frodo!" I yelled, although I knew there was nothing that I could do to stop him. Luckily, Aragorn was there at the end of our long line to help him up. I scrambled down to where they were as the others watched what had happened. Aragorn and I tried to wipe the snow off of him as he felt around for the Ring that he had been keeping around his neck.

Frodo's actions became hurried and I noticed that the Ring had fallen off his neck. At the same time we both saw where it was and who was picking it up.

"Boromir." Aragorn sternly told him as Boromir slowly lifted the necklace up to his eyes to stare at it.

The air seemed to become denser for some unknown reason. Boromir didn't heed Aragorn's request. "It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt…" Boromir stated, transfixed by the small thing that he held in his hand. "Over so small a thing." His eyes never blinked nor wavered from the Ring. "Such a little thing." His fingers were mere inches away from touching the Ring, and something about it made my spine tingle again. It was like the Ring had him under its spell.

"Boromir!" Aragorn said yet again, this time stronger. Boromir closed his eyes and snapped out of the faze that he was in and the air became colder again. "Give the Ring to Frodo." Aragorn commanded. Boromir smiled coldly.

"As you wish," He said reluctantly. He held the Ring out toward Frodo, but not so close that he could drop it into his hands. It was almost as if he didn't want Frodo to have it. Frodo snatched it from him forcefully. Boromir's grin became wider.

"I care not," He said, ruffling Frodo's hair as if he were his beloved uncle. Slowly Boromir climbed back up, so not to fall back down again. Aragorn slowly let go of his sword, but I hadn't even seen him touch it before. Something was telling me that Boromir was to play a bigger role later on.

The snow got worse. Soon we were trapped on the mountain's ledge while the snow and debris flew everywhere. Also, because we were so short, the snow came up to our waists and was slowly climbing higher. And somewhere, although I thought I was going crazy, I could swear that I heard some sort of singing.

There was a great burst of lighting from above us. Without warning, the snow that was above us collapsed and fell right on top of our huddling group.

There was no air; I couldn't breathe. Every time that I tried to snow filled my mouth and nose and was slowly going to fill my lungs if Legolas hadn't pulled me out of it. "T-thank y-you," I sputtered against the cold air while I tried to regain my strength back. Legolas smiled and nodded.

I looked around at the others who had just emerged from the snow. It wasn't easy; the wind was still blowing flakes into my eyes and I began to think that maybe it would have been easier to stay under the snow rather than in it. Everyone looked cold and wet and, if they were like me, hungry.

"We must get off the mountain!" I heard Boromir shout over the wind, although I had no clue to where he was. "Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" I heard Aragorn yell from about right next to me. They were starting to argue again.

"If we cannot pass over the mountain," Gimli added, "Let us go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria." I swiveled around in the now chest-deep snow and saw Gandalf contemplating what to do.

He finally answered. "Let the ring-bearer decide." Frodo, who was right next to me, stared at him in disbelief. I knew as well as he did that he didn't know what to do. Aragorn had his hand on his shoulder in comfort to tell him that he would always stick by him and Sam and I were trying to smile, but failing dismally.

"We cannot stay here!" Boromir called out again, telling us mentally that we needed to find a place to stay quickly, as if we already didn't know that. "This will be the death of the hobbits." I saw Merry and Pippin standing with him, both as white as they had never been before. In my mind I knew that I looked that way too and it scared me.

"Frodo?" Gandalf said, almost inaudibly. I saw Frodo's lips tremble, though I'm not sure if it was because of the snow and cold or because he was making a decision that would affect all of our lives.

Frodo made up his mind. "We will go through the mines." Gandalf seemed to be worried about this, and he was silent for a moment.

"So be it."

Hours (Or was it days? I had soon lost track of the time…) later we were treading through a much warmer place. There was rock everywhere, but thank goodness there was no snow, although the rock was hard on my blisters on my feet. Thankfully there were an adequate number of sights to see. Well, one actually, and it was only a broken bridge that was high above us, so it was hard for me to see.

"Frodo, come and help an old man." I heard Gandalf call out from a head of us. Frodo went to him and held him up.

"Strange," I muttered to Merry, "Every time I've ever seen Gandalf, he's been anything but an old man." He smiled and laughed quietly, nodding.

Suddenly there came a horrible smell from behind us. It was enough to make me puke. "Ewww!" Merry coughed out while holding his nose. I was doing the same.

"Where is that coming from?!" I asked, deciding that holding my nose wasn't doing anything to help the smell go away. Merry and I looked around for an answer and soon found one.

"Pippin!" Merry barked at Pip, who was the only person behind us. Pip instantly stopped his innocent act and smiled sheepishly.

"Gross!" I said. Pip's smiled suddenly left his face.

"Sorry," He said, catching up to us and trying to come up with an excuse. "I just…couldn't help it?" At this Merry and I both groaned again as whenever he was nearer to us the smell got worse. His face fell and I felt sorry for him.

"Look, it's not your fault," I started, trying to cheer him up. "Oh, wait…it was your fault." That set Merry and me laughing again and Pippin moved behind us, sulking. My laughing became bitter. "Maybe I should-" But Merry shook his head.

"You know there's only one reason why he does this, right?" He asked me. I shook my head, confused.

"Because he wants attention?" I guessed. Merry half smiled.

"Close," He explained. I waited for him to say more. He seemed to be trying to find the right words to tell me. "He just wants one certain person to notice him."

"I think you're reading too much into this. Just because he farted doesn't mean-" He interrupted me.

"No, I think you're not reading into it enough." I looked at him strangely, my brain trying to untangle his words.

Then I got the idea. "You mean…No way," I said, surprised. "He wants attention from…" Merry was nodding.

"You."

"Me? I thought it was you!"

"What?" Merry looked very confused. "Oh…" He finally got it. "NO! That's just not right!" I laughed at his face, which looked like it had shrunken in.

"Why would he want attention from me, though?" I asked him.

"Umm…I didn't mean that…" Merry tried to come up with an excuse for what he had said.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You're lying to me, aren't you?" Merry avoided my eyes. Before I could interrogate him farther, Gimli interrupted me.

"The walls of Moria…" He gasped. We stopped talking to stare at it, although it was hard to tell what it was because there was so much fog from where I was. "Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gimli explained to everyone. He tapped the stone wall we were walking next to with his axe.

"Yes, Gimli," Gandalf agreed, obviously done talking to Frodo. "Their masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas asked and I could swear that Gimli was holding back to not attack him. It was quite funny, if you thought about it.

From up ahead, I could see Gandalf feeling the wall for something. "Well, let's see," HE muttered, and by some miraculous miracle, I was able to hear him. It was probably because everyone else was being so silent. "Ithildin…" He was searching for something, tracing the smooth wall. "It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." He explained to the rest of us who hadn't studied when they should have. He looked up as the moon suddenly reappeared from behind some clouds. As we looked on, there came a shining from the stone Gandalf was just peering at. The door was shining and it was fantastic. Gandalf seemed proud of himself. "It reads," He said, talking about the writing on the top of the door. " 'The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.' "

Merry spoke up. "What do you suppose that means?"

Gandalf turned to him. "Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password, and the doors will open." He turned back to the doors and put his staff in the middle of the stone. He spoke some sort of language that had to be elvish. I saw Merry nod and look over at Pip, who smiled. They both turned to look at Gandalf, obviously sure that this was going to work.

Nothing happened. Gandalf tried yet again and raised his arms and spoke more elvish. Still, the doors wouldn't budge. Pip took that time to point that out. "Nothing's happening," He said. I rolled my eyes and elbowed him in the gut.

In an act of desperation, Gandalf pushed against the doors with all his strength. It didn't make a difference anyway. "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves, Men, and Orcs." He said, apparently frustrated with himself.

Pip just couldn't keep his mouth shut. "What are you going to do, then?"

"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!" Gandalf shouted at him, suddenly flaring in a rage. "And if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find that opening words."

Merry elbowed Pippin and whispered, "See, I told you that you weren't supposed to ask." I rolled my eyes at the both of them.

Many hours later the moon was still shining down upon our small group as Gandalf tried every spell known to anyone to open the doors. Everyone had long since gone into their own little comfort zones; Sam trying to figure out whether to let Bill (The horse) go or not, Merry and Pippin going from playing cards to playing the most annoying games imaginable to skipping rocks in the lake that was near us, and Frodo sitting on the ground with me laying in his lap trying to get some much needed sleep.

I lay with my eyes closed, pretending to sleep, but really listening to everything that was going on around me. Frodo's hands were running through my hair, making me very content.

"Mines are no place for a pony, even one as brave as Bill." Aragorn concluded to Sam, who was still making up his mind whether to let Bill go or not.

"Bye-bye, Bill." I heard him say sadly. It still amazes me how much my brother can love every living creature, even the smallest bug that may eat up his garden. I wonder what happened to Bill…

"Go on, Bill." Aragorn told the horse. "Go on. Don't worry, Sam. He knows the way home." I heard the horse's hooves on the rocks and I knew that I didn't have a pack mule to carry all my stuff anymore.

Pippin and Merry's rock skipping suddenly turned into rock throwing. Apparently the object of the game was to make the loudest and biggest splash that you possibly could. It was actually very annoying to a person who was trying to sleep, but I was too comfortable on Frodo's lap to yell at them.

Suddenly I heard the splashing stop. "Do not disturb the water," Aragorn told the two of them. I smiled at the thought of the looks on their faces.

"Serves them right…" I muttered aloud and Frodo laughed as he kissed the top of my head.

"Oh, it's useless." Gandalf said and I opened my eyes. He sat down and took his hat off, finally giving up. Frodo suddenly stood up, causing me to flop over onto the ground because he didn't warn me first.

"Ouch…" I said, as Frodo apologized. I started to get up, but as I did, something caught my eye. The lake was…moving…which was strange because it seemed to look like a tentacle. I heard laughter from behind me and turned around to find Merry, Pip, and my evil brother having fun making fun of me. I gave them all a death glare.

"What?" Sam asked me. "You can make fun of us but we can't make fun of you?" The other two nodded to agree to what he was saying.

Before I had a chance to come up with a smart comment, Frodo had started talking and caught my attention. "It's a riddle," He stated, talking about the doors. Immediately everyone looked at him in confusion. I could hear from behind me that the water was moving again, but it didn't seem like a huge factor at that moment. " 'Speak 'friend' and enter.' " He looked at Gandalf. "What's the elvish word for 'friend'?"

"Mellon," Gandalf told him and at once the door broke and came open, seeming like a miracle. Instantly everyone stood and started to go through the doors, Gandalf leading. He put a clear crystal in the top of his staff, for some unknown reason.

"Soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves." I heard Gimli brag to Legolas from in front of me. "Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone. This, my friend," He stated, although I sincerely doubted that he and Legolas were friends at this point. "Is the home of my cousin Balin, and they call it a Mine. A Mine!" I failed to see the humor in that, but I guest that hobbit humor is different than dwarf humor. A lot different.

Gandalf succeeded in making some light in the darkness that was the Mine. Suddenly it didn't seem so friendly anymore. There was what looked like arrows sticking out of something that was littering the ground. Then I realized that what littered the ground were bodies. "This is no Mine." Boromir said disgustedly, looking around at all the dead dwarves. "It's a tomb."

Gimli instantly became distraught. "No…Oh! NO!" Everyone began to look at all the damage that was done, wondering what could have happened to them.

Legolas, being the smart one out of all of us, pulled out an arrow from one of the corpses. "Goblins," He told us, throwing the arrow down and quickly looking around to see if they were still there. The others were making the same precautions. Aragorn pulled out his sword, as did Boromir and Legolas.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here." Boromir said and all of us hobbits suddenly found each other again and backed out the door together. "Now, get out of here. Get out!" He yelled at us and we scrambled backwards, Frodo tripping. I thought it was because of a slippery rock, but it was something much more dangerous.

"Frodo!" I saw Sam scream. Quickly I turned around and found that the something that was moving in the water was a giant squid and it had Frodo, but everything was going in slow motion…then things began to go black…and I…I can't remember anything… except the dream.

…I was walking home…but it didn't look like The Shire…There was too much darkness and not enough green…Then suddenly there came a burst of light from a head of me…I followed it, half afraid of what it might be and half excited to be seeing home again…

…but things were not as they seemed…As I came closer to the bright phenomenon, it became apparent that the bright lightning from ahead wasn't fireworks…suddenly I felt sick to my stomach….there was fire…fire everywhere…not one hobbit could get away from it…

…Then I heard a cry from behind me…Sam and Frodo were both perishing in the flames, not able to get out…I hurried, trying to rescue them…but then the fire was all around me, too…and I couldn't get out…

…I couldn't get out…

"Miriam!!! Wake up…Miriam…"

"Please wake up…"

Instantaneously, the shouts awoke me. My eyes flashed open and I found it very hard to breathe. I thought it was because of the eerily real dream, but then I looked down. Sam was hugging me around the middle, crying into my stomach. It was so pathetic it was sweet, until I ruined the moment. "Sam…I…can't…breathe…"

He looked up, tears still crowding his eyes. "Miriam! Thank goodness…you're awake!!" With that he gathered me up in his arms and held me to him, making it even harder to breathe. Then I realized that Frodo had been the other voice that was calling to me and was sitting only a few inches away. I pushed Sam (with love!) to get out of his tight grip and practically fell into Frodo's arms, crying for the image that I had seen of him and Sam.

"What's the matter?" He asked, concerned. "You only feinted and had a nightmare." I pulled away and looked at him curiously.

"I did?" Suddenly it dawned on me that I was no longer outside by a lake with a giant squid-like thing. "Where are we?"

Sam smiled at me, making fun of me in his mind. "We're in the mines. Strider and Boromir took turns carrying you."

"Not true!" I said and Sam rolled his eyes at me. Then I noticed that everyone was resting again, Gandalf sitting on a rock, looking at three very similar stone doorways. "What's going on? Why have we stopped?" I asked quickly and Frodo explained.

"We were walking along just fine and now we don't know where we are." Sam interrupted him and Frodo nodded to agree.

"Oh," I said, still a bit confused and drowsy from the dream. "Well, that can't be too good." They both laughed tiredly. "I think I'll walk around for a bit." I told them and Frodo let go of me, now not paying attention and looking down deeper into the mines.

I frowned, a little concerned, but didn't think that it was anything very big. Shrugging my shoulders, I walked off in search of Pippin and Merry. It wasn't that hard to find them, as Pip's stomach was growling and could be heard for miles around.

"Are we lost?" Pip asked as I spied Merry and him talking, sitting around doing nothing and looking terribly bored. Merry was staring at Gandalf, most likely mentally telling him with his mind to hurry up and Pippin was flicking rocks over the edge of the cliff.

"No." Merry replied, not even looking over at him. Good thing, too, because I was right behind him and I wanted to scare them a little.

Pip was quiet for a moment, and then said, "I think we are." Merry seemed annoyed.

"Shh!" He shushed him momentarily. "Gandalf's thinking," There was a longer moment of silence until, finally, Pippin couldn't stand it anymore.

"Merry?"

"What?" He asked dejectedly, obviously not wanting to answer him.

"I'm hungry." I couldn't stand it one minute longer. This was just too pathetic.

"You're always hungry…!" I stated, making Merry and Pippin jump two feet in the air. I laughed at them as their faces turned their normal color again. Suddenly Pippin's eyes widened and he bounced up, giving me such a tight bear hug that it rivaled Sam's. "Pip…" I stuttered, and he stopped hugging me at once, realizing what he was doing. His face was now bright pink.

"Glad to see you're back on your feet." Merry said, smiling and not looking at Gandalf for the first time that I had seen him since I had feinted.

"Thank you," I smiled back and there was a gap in the conversation, as it came to a halt. We stood around nervously, not knowing what to say or do. "So…" I said quietly. Merry and Pippin nodded enthusiastically. "Well, it was nice to talk to you two agai-" I started, preparing to leave, but that was when Pip decided to speak rather harshly.

"Is it true that you and Frodo are…?" He left the question hanging in midair, waiting to see if I would catch the bait. I stared at him, confused to why he would ask that in such a tone, but I answered him in the same voice.

"Why do you ask?" I replied and Pip sensed that he was treading on dangerous ground. Although why, I couldn't figure out. Sigh. Pip's always doing things that I don't understand…

Pippin didn't say anything in return; just looked at me with a stony face. My mind had to be playing tricks on me when I thought I saw a tear forming in his eye, but he turned away and sat down, his head down while he flicked rocks again. Merry looked at me, as if to talk to me mentally.

"Just remember what I told you about him," He whispered so that Pippin couldn't hear him and he too sat down next to Pip, consoling him.

My brain was muddled. What had he said about Pippin again? I couldn't seem to remember anything before I feinted. Slowly I walked back to where Sam was still sitting, alone now that Frodo had gone to talk to Gandalf. "Sammy," I sat down and whined, leaning against him and calling him an old baby name that mother used to call him.

He let me lean on him, being a good brother for once. "What's the matter, Mira?" He asked and I said nothing, closing my eyes and pretending that we were back home again. I just needed the comfort from my brother. We sat there for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company because we hadn't had a chance to in what felt like forever. It seemed like all we had done so far on this trip was fight and bicker and I didn't want Sam to think that I was mad at him in any way. Not that he would remember it in any case…

Suddenly Gandalf's voice rang out from the rock where he was sitting with Frodo. "Oh! It's that way." Instantly everyone was on their feet and gathering up their things. Sam was among them, and once again, I was dumped on my face.

"Ouch!!" I shouted, rubbing my head. "Why am I always the one who gets dumped on the ground!?" (A/N: That's becoming a repeating joke in this series, isn't it?) I could hear Merry and Pippin sniggering at me, but I ignored them. I closed my eyes against the pain and instantly saw fire. My eyes flashed open, scared and wide-eyed and when Sam said a quick sorry it brought me back to the present. He was hurrying over to where the rest of the fellowship had gathered.

Gandalf was answering whatever Merry had said. "…The air doesn't smell so foul down here." He said, pointing toward one of the tunnels leading downward. "When in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose." I laughed at Merry because he was being called by his first name and then I realized that it wasn't that funny and I shut up.

We followed Gandalf down the steep stairs and into a cold room. After I had looked around at it in the dim light coming from Gandalf's stick, I noticed why it was so cold. It was huge. It was bigger than huge. It was ginormous!! Wait…that isn't a word. Oh, well.

"Let me risk a little more light," Gandalf said, reading my mind. I was anxious to look around us in better light. The light shined in a blinding way, but at least it was easier to look around. "Behold the great realm and Dwarf city of Dwariaowdelf." Gandalf explained as we all stood, spell struck, at the hall with its large columns that seemed to go on forever.

"There's an eye opener, and no mistake," Sam barley more than whispered. For once I didn't have the strength to point out his pointing out of the obvious. None of us could help but stare at the hall, except Gimli, who seemed to be used to the eloquence of it all.

We began to walk through it, not quite sure of what we were looking for, but looking for it anyways. For once, I was glad to be walking; feinting had left me itching to stretch my legs. We hadn't walked but for five minutes when we spotted an open doorway, dead dwarves all around the entrance, making the hall suddenly less appealing. Gimli saw it and gasped, running as fast as he could on short legs through the door.

"Gimli!" I heard Gandalf shout at him, but Gimli didn't notice or didn't care. He ran straight in to look at a giant stone in the middle of the room- the only thing with a window of light pouring down on it.

"No…No!" We saw Gimli kneel and shout, obviously distressed. "No…No…" It was one of the saddest things in my life, to watch Gimli cry. He was such a warrior. To see someone like that break down was heartbreaking. Gandalf led the way into the room and the rest of us, naturally, followed.

Gandalf read off the writing from the slab of stone that was in the middle. " 'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.' " He read to us who couldn't read Dwarvish. "He is dead, then." He took off in hat in respect of the dead. "It's as I feared." Quickly, he handed his hat and staff to Pippin, which, looking back, was a dumb thing to do, even for Gandalf, and he picked up a dusty old book that had been lying in a Dwarf's skeleton's hands.

Gimli began to speak in Dwarvish, which none of us could understand as Gandalf leafed through the pages in the book, some of which were falling out each time he touched it. He blew on it in order to get some of the thick dust that covered it off.

Some of us were getting testy. "We must move on," Legolas, who was behind me, whispered to Aragorn. "We cannot linger." Aragorn didn't answer him. I inched over to Frodo, who had that worried look on his face again, and took his hand. He smiled gratefully, glad to see my face.

" 'They have taken the bridge and the second hall. We have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long.' " Gandalf's reading penetrated all other noise; it was like nothing was happening but what the dwarf had written down in the book. " 'The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep.' " Behind me, I could see a nervous Pip backing up and looking around, not wanting to listen anymore. Gandalf turned the page and did not stop. " 'We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark.' " I was being distracted by Pippin, who had backed into a well that was behind him with a skeleton sitting on it. My eyes were no longer on Gandalf, but on Pippin and the stupid thing that I knew he was going to do. " 'We cannot get out. They are coming.' " The words had no meaning for me, as Pip reached out to touch the arrow sticking out from the corpse. I could feel the anticipation in the air, as everything seemed to slow down as Pip turned the arrow, probably thinking that it would be neat to take it back home with him.

I knew that something terrible was going to happen before it actually did. The head of the skeleton suddenly fell of into the well, making a horrible clattering noise as it went. Then the bad just kept on coming. The body fell with it and, since it was chained onto the chain and bucket, everything that was on the well fell down it. The crashing echoed as Pip flinched with every noise. Then it stopped and there was silence. After a moment when nothing happened, everyone let out the breath that we had been unconsciously holding. Gandalf shut the book with a snap, looking livid.

"Fool of a took." He put the book down, no trace of teasing in his face. "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity." He took his hat and staff back from him. Suddenly I felt a weird need to protect him from deep down in my gut. I never had that feeling before, not even for Frodo. Scared, I pushed it away, even though the sight of Pippin's sad face made my stomach tie in knots.

Then there came an echoing of drums. It seemed to be coming out of the well; slow at first and then suddenly coming faster and faster and echoing not only from the well, but from every side of the room and the hall. We didn't know what was going on until Frodo remembered his sword and quickly pulled it out, reveling a bright blue.

"Mr. Frodo!" Sam said, concerned because he knew what it meant. I got to be left alone in the dark while the others looked worried. The next second what the color meant was apparent.

There came a loud screeching noise in the hall. "Orcs," Legolas explained, spitting out the word as if it were a nasty taste in his mouth.

Boromir went to the doors and looked outside. There came a ZING! and two arrows barley missed his face.

Aragorn was instructing us. "Get back! Stay close to Gandalf." We all huddled behind Gandalf, who was pushing us behind him. Boromir, Legolas and Aragorn closed the doors.

Boromir turned back toward us and explained. "They have a cave-troll." Us hobbits looked at each other in fright, my hand still enclosed in Frodo's, who was squeezing it tightly for comfort for me.

Legolas threw two convenient axes to Aragorn and Boromir, who caught them in midair. Together they began the barricade the door, trying to make sure nothing could get in. Gandalf threw his hat on the ground (which I've never seen again, come to think of it…) and drew out his sword. The rest of us did the same, looking pale in comparison to Frodo's bright blue sword.

"Let them come!" Gimli shouted, standing on top of his cousin's tomb. "There is one Dwarf in Moria who still draws breath." The pounding on the door increased and we all stood, ready to face whatever was coming. Aragorn and Legolas pulled their arrows back into the bow, every inch a warrior. Everyone stood with their weapon in hand and I couldn't help but feel that we weren't going to survive.

Sorry to leave it there!! I know, I know…you hate me…blah, blah, blah…;)

I'll come back when I have more time to write because school has officially started and it was all I could do to write this chapter!

Sorry again!!! I love you all!!!

Emmablk1


	7. Miriam the PerilBringer?

Thank you for all the reviews! :D

**NoroLimAsfaloth- **thank you very much for the complements! I've been wondering if anyone would notice that Miriam had been talking to the same characters over and over again. That's why I've been trying to include ways that she and the rest of the fellowship could interact, but…I'm at a loss for ideas.

**Dancinchic0722- **I figured that Sam needed a little sister to keep him in line…

**Fairyfaye- **ok…um…I totally agree with you. It's hard to not follow the movie at this point, but right now it's absolutely necessary. I'm almost done with the first movie, though, so things more of my own should start to appear depending upon where Miriam goes after the fellowship breaks up. Although, where ever she goes, there's going to be a lot more of my own stuff in there because…well…that's my own little secret. I've had this plan for a long time and now, after about the first seven or eight chapters I can start writing without the dialogue from the movies and such. If you like it enough now to read after I stop writing down and copying all the dialogue, then you'll like a lot better I promise. ;)

**Emma-Lee14- **yes, Em…I am very aware that you are the laziest person on the earth…lol. That's sad that it's so true!!

**Changlingchild1- **thanks Jessie, for pointing out the fact that Microsoft word stinks at spelling and grammar mistakes…lol.

**Hobbitfeatures- **yeah!! I LOVE when people send in long reviews!! I do it all the time, so don't worry…oh, and I'm sorry, but I'm not very good at the languages in the books and on the movies, so if I made a mistake, then…well…I'll get my good friend to slap me upside the head. I've already made a mistake on Rosie's name, and I know I'll make more…in response to whether or not Miriam is going to Mordor or with Pippin and Gandalf…well, let's just say that everything changes after I finish with the first movie and what you think might be happening actually isn't happening at all. I'm sneaky, aren't I? ;)

**Moulin-Rouge-Pirate- **Well, don't be late for work on my account…be late for school on my account, but not for something that makes you money… ;)

Some of you have been asking me not to follow the movie directly. If you have been one of those people, you will only have to endure a few more chapters of that, as when I start the next movie/chapters of the next movie, I will be writing a lot more original things in the story, so don't freak out. If you don't care, well…then it doesn't really matter, does it? Lol!

Hey, if you want to send me long reviews; I don't care! I would prefer that I get some sort of review, but if you want to tell me something to work on in a FRIENDLY way, then go on and maybe I'll notice and change it in the next chapter! Be aggressive!! And tell me that you like it! Hehehehehe….!

Oh, and this chapter is a little less straight from the movie (with the dialogue and stuff…) I'm doing the best I can to give you people what you want, but I'm still going to be what I think is best, ok? Ok…

Anyway…here's the seventh chapter!

I held my breath until my lungs felt as if they would burst. I was aware of the entire ruckus going on with the door, but in my mind I wasn't hearing the noise. I wasn't hearing anything. It was as if the sound button in my head had been shut off for some inexplicable reason. I could see the door being ripped to shreds and Aragorn, Legolas, and Boromir killing the Orcs before they came through the holes, but nothing was registering with my brain. I couldn't understand why, now of all times, when I was faced with death, that I would become frozen and stiff. Then I understood.

I was scared.

I already knew that, of course, but now I was shutting down, my mind not being able to take that kind of pressure. I fought recklessly, not knowing what was going on around me or why there was a troll in the chamber. I only knew that if there was a slimy ugly face in front of me than I had to kill it. It was as if my mind had switched to autopilot and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I can remember Merry, Pippin, and Frodo dragging me with them up to the edge of the wall to find a place where Frodo wouldn't be in some much danger. I don't remember how we got up there, but I can still see the marks of red from Merry and Frodo's hands had dug into my skin. Dimly, I saw Sam fighting with his frying pan, thinking that he had finally gotten the upper hand in something. But, my head was scrambled when it came to the matter of if someone was about to slice my head open and only one thing could wake me up and it wasn't good.

There was a scream and a gasping for air and I was shocked out of my ravine. Instantly all the dangers around me were known to my brain. My blood had run cold and I couldn't figure out why until I saw it. On the other side of a ledge that had been smashed to pieces, Frodo lay in the corner, extremely white with the troll's weapon pierced deep into his chest.

"Frodo!" I screamed in time with nearly everyone else. It was as if all the action had ceased and everyone was looking at him, wondering what on earth had happened. Aragorn rushed through the madding fight towards Frodo, fighting his way there. My body moved on its own, trying to jump over the edge, but Merry and Pippin knew better than I did that I was too small to jump that far and they saved me by my waist just in time. But, gaining their strength back, Merry and Pip looked at each other, let go of me, and lunged at the troll, holding their swords like spears. They clung to its back, desperately trying to hang on while the troll thrashed around, swinging the two of them wildly. I barely saw any of this. (The only reason I know is because Sam has a long memory. Elephants never forget…)

I sunk to my knees without anyone to hold me up and hardly registered that tears were flowing freely down my face. I knew that at that moment, everyone was feeling the same as I was; shocked, scared, and unable to cope…and I never want to have that same feeling again. Once was definitely enough.

Everyone began to fight with more strength than before, frightened that no one would get to Frodo. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him sink to the ground and lie there, still. There came a loud THUD to the left of me, but I didn't care that the troll was finally dead. There was nothing left of me but an empty shell. Or so I thought. As Aragorn crawled toward Frodo, I looked up, wanting to know for sure that he was really dead and it hadn't all happened from my imagination.

"Oh, no…" I heard Aragorn whisper softly, pulling Frodo up from where he lay. But as he did, I heard a moan and ragged breathing as he tried to focus his eyes.

"He's alive," Sam said with relief. I couldn't control my glee or disbelief and I jumped the distance over to the other side of the wall to get closer. Everyone let out the breath they had been holding inside as Frodo looked around, faintly smiling a little.

"I'm alright…I'm not hurt," He spilled out hurriedly, trying to capture some more air, as if he could never get enough of it.

Aragorn looked at him in doubt, saying, "You should be dead. That spear would have skewed a wild boar!" His eyes were twinkling. Gandalf stepped forward to survey the scene.

"I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye." Frodo nearly nodded, but instead reached for his shirt and pulled it open, revealing a bright white chain mail underneath. I sat there confused for a moment, then instantly knew what it was, thankful that I had read all those books as a child.

"Mithrill…" I whispered almost inaudibly, reaching forward and touching it lightly. Then I realized what I was doing and immediately pulled back, blushing. I swear I can remember Sam smiling a little at me, making fun of me with his mind.

Gimli, who hadn't spoken in a while, was sincerely surprised. "You are full of surprises, Master Baggins," he said, but the moment was soon cut very short with faint howling from the hallway, scaring us all into the recognition that the fight was not yet over.

Gandalf looked toward the doorway, saw the shadows as Orcs, and quickly whispered, "To the bridge of Khazad-dum!" He led us, running out of the chamber and I swear that there was a climatic music starting from somewhere. Sam pulled me along, making my hand grimy with his sweat. Then that wasn't a problem, as the instant that we heard screaming and shrieking from behind us, hundreds upon hundreds of Orcs appeared, swarming up for the kill. They were coming from the crevices in the ground, like molten lava oozing from a volcano.

I dared not to look up when I heard Merry say, "They're like spiders! Always moving fast, clinging to the ceiling…" He couldn't seem to take his eyes off the ones above us until Pippin started pushing him to make him run faster.

_What a time to be afraid of spiders…_I thought uneasily to myself, closing my eyes so I wouldn't be tempted to look up.

The very next second, they formed a box around us, closing in for the kill although Legolas and the others still held their weapons at ready. I could feel Sam stiffen next to me and I knew that he was feeling a little more than claustrophobic right about then. Just as scary as that moment was, the next minute was even more frightening, when the hallway behind me began to growl and grow red.

There was another rumble and the Orcs around us got nervous, howling more and looking more scared than we were which couldn't be a very good sign. In a matter of seconds, they were gone as quickly as they had come, scrambling up the columns and hiding underneath the fissures. We were left alone once more with only Gandalf's light coming from his staff for comfort.

Gimli became quite proud of himself for scaring away the Orcs, as if the whole idea had been his. But there was nothing to celebrate when the growl got lower and louder and Legolas got a worried look on his face; as if he didn't know what or who to shoot at. It's never a good thing when the elf in the group gets scared. That's when you know you're in for it.

I heard Boromir whisper in the quiet, "What is this new devilry?" Thinking that maybe if he knew what it was he could defeat it all on his own. Forgive me for sounding harsh, but when your nerves are on the edge (especially for hobbits) it's hard to stay focused and nice to other people. Gandalf didn't answer him, but closed his eyes, thinking hard.

"A Balrog," He finally announced to us, not letting his eyes get away from the moving light that was coming quickly down the hall in front of us. "A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you." He turned away from it and launched into his next step, yelling, "Run!!"

With no time to think, we ran as hard as w had been before, through another open door. Unfortunately, all we found was a cut off stairway with the deep depths of the mines below. Thankfully Legolas caught Boromir before he fell to his death and the rest of us stopped short of the ledge.

Gandalf was quickly and quietly telling Aragorn something, pointing to the bridge, but it seemed like Aragorn was unwilling to listen. "Do as I say!" Gandalf shouted so forcefully that I was almost knocked backwards over the edge if it weren't for the other four's hands about my waist. "Swords are no more use here…"

We scuttled down the narrow steps, each of us Hobbits taking them two at a time to make up for our short legs, but the tiny bridge looked less inviting than an oyster. I came to a standstill for a moment, but Gimli pushed me forward, knocking some more sense into my dead head.

Legolas swiftly jumped the semi-small gap between one part of the bridge to the other and looked up expectantly to Gandalf, mentally telling him what to do. "Gandalf!" he shouted, waving his arm to tell him to hurry up, because the Balrog was gaining on us, according to the cracks in the stairs behind us. Gandalf jumped agilely over to the other side. The rest of us were mentally preparing to do the same when there came the spears being thrown at us from across the other side. I thanked God silently that the Orc's brains were small and they didn't have good aim, although our feet were almost clipped by the spears.

"Merry! Pippin!" Boromir gave no warning as he grabbed the two and launched them over to the other side with himself, taking a chunk of the bridge with them. As The Orcs threw more and more spikes at us, we began to fight back, but with better aim, killing more of them than any of us.

"Sam…Miriam…!" Aragorn picked up Sam, who was holding my hand, and tossed him over. Sam's hand was slick and although he made it perfectly, my hand slipped out of his and left me holding the very edge of the stairs.

"Help me!!" I screamed, feeling the spears whizzing by my feet as they tried desperately to be on solid ground. Gandalf reached down and pulled me up as if I weighed nothing. I smiled gratefully, but he just turned away and set his sights on helping Gimli get across.

"Nobody tosses a dwarf." He insisted firmly when Aragorn tried to do the same thing to him as he did to us. He prepared himself and put all his weight into the jump, making his body fall backwards when he missed the ledge. Thinking quickly, Legolas reached out and grabbed the only thing that would not let him fall back-his beard. "Not the beard!" Gimli shrieked, but it was too late; Legolas pulled him up and over and he was fine.

Just then things became a lot worse. The instant that Gimli arrived safely over, the edge where Aragorn and Frodo were standing cracked. And broke off with both of them on it. Thankfully, Aragorn was quick and they both were able to scramble back onto the rock again. I suppressed my scream, but my mouth hung open at the distance that they now had to cross. Frodo never had been a very good jumper and now was the time to learn, apparently.

"Steady," Aragorn warned Frodo, trying to help him keep his feet from flying out in front of him. Suddenly everyone's mouths were open in shock, thinking the same thing; that it was impossible that both of them could ever jump the six or seven feet to the other side. Aragorn wasn't giving up, though. "Hold on!" he yelled, but he still looked uncertain about how to jump. Especially because the Balrog had now almost entered the cracking doorway at the top of the staircase and all the stones began falling at a faster rate.

As if the stones had heard me thinking, one crashed down, landing square on the stairs, behind Aragorn and Frodo. Aragorn tried to keep their balance on the shaky ground that was under him, but it still began to collapse, tilting sideways just a bit. "Hang on!" Aragorn warned again, this time looking as if he were ready to actually do something.

We watched in horror as Aragorn slowly made the rock turn toward us with his weight, knowing that it might not work. I felt as if my face were frozen with the same look of fear plastered on it since when the Orcs attacked. The two were unsteady for a moment, but soon they were coming closer, close enough so that the two parts of the staircase were to ram into each other.

"Lean forward!" Aragorn insisted, directing Frodo and pushing him a little so that his added weight would help immensely. There were a few tantalizing seconds…then…BOOM they were there, jumping so that they wouldn't fall down with the stairs.

We ran as fast as we could, not daring for a moment to look behind us when the middle half of the bridge broke with a horrifying crash. I scarcely had time to even check that everyone was accounted for and I know that part of me inside was scared to look, knowing that my heart would break if I did.

Thankful to be off the slippery stairs, I stopped to rest, but was swept away instantly by the others rushing past me, Frodo and Merry grabbing my shirt and hands, pulling on me. Gandalf was shouting, telling us to get over the bridge and to literally fly, but as soon as I felt the hot flames on my back that marked the Balrog's coming, I was the one pulling on Merry and Frodo instead of the other way around.

Gandalf was the only one to stay behind as the Balrog emerged from the flames as if it were the flame itself. He looked it straight in the eye, seeming to size it up, and turned to run with us. It looked like an act of cowardice, but if I were the one standing there I wouldn't have even looked it in the eyes, but would have run without ceasing for two days. (You should know by this point in the story that I'm somewhat of a wimp in most cases…)

I came thundering along after us as we slowed to try to cross the narrow bridge that lay before us. It didn't look very thick, certainly not strong enough to hold all of our weight at the same time, but we took our chances and ran across it all at once, us hobbits trying not to look down at the abyss below. Just as it seemed that we were finally safe as we got to the other side, we turned to see Gandalf stopping in the middle of the bridge and facing the monster.

"You cannot pass!" In an act of heroic bravery, Gandalf seemed to think it might help us if he fought the stupid thing. My mind was racing, telling myself that if this went on he wouldn't live to smell the outside air.

"Gandalf!" Frodo called, screaming it to make sure that Gandalf would know that he was being an idiot. Well, in my dictionary he was, anyway… (Looking back on it now…I can say that I was the idiot; to not see the importance of what we were doing…)

The Balrog increased the fire burning through itself, building up to become menacing so that maybe Gandalf would back off and let himself be killed so that the Balrog wouldn't have to go through so much trouble. It didn't work.

"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor." At the last word, Gandalf raised his staff above his head, increasing the bright glow coming from it as he did. For a minute, the Balrog's fire seemed to flame a little less brightly. "The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun!" But right while Gandalf was still talking, it pulled out a fiery sword and crashed it against Gandalf's light.

Sparks flew everywhere as everyone seemed to instinctively get closer to try to help. The sword had been broken, torn into pieces and the Balrog got even madder. Gandalf said something threatening, so softly that I couldn't hear it. Whatever he said, it made the Balrog step forward, pulling out another fiery weapon. This time it was a whip. He brandished it, cracking it against the stone beside him making a terrible SNAP as he did, making me jump a foot into the air and hold on to whoever was standing beside me tightly.

Gandalf stood his ground, shouting. "You shall not pass!" He banged his staff and sword against the stone bridge, unknowingly or knowingly creating a crack. The Balrog stepped forward again, angrier than ever, snapping the whip at Gandalf. But, as he did, the bridge cracked, falling down with the Balrog on it. In a mass of fire and smoke, we watched wide-eyed as it fell, roaring the whole way.

Everyone let out their breath that we had been unconsciously holding, grateful that it was all over and we could get out of the mines and back on track. Gandalf turned back around, walking away with a disgusted look on his face. Then I heard a sound that couldn't be good. It was the sound of a whip snapping backward.

In an instant it had hold of Gandalf's ankle and slid him all the way to the edge of the cliff that had formed when the bridge broke. Then it fell out of sight. For one second none of us were able to move; the image of Gandalf in peril had us frozen to where we were; no one actually thought that Gandalf wasn't going to get out of the predicament alive. Then we came to our senses and rushed forward all together, crying out to him.

"Gandalf!" Frodo shouted, but Boromir caught him and held him back as we stopped running toward him, unsure of what to do now.

Gandalf hung on to the last end of the cliff. I thought he was going to make it. Then he stopped, and whispered, "Fly, you fools!" and dropped out of sight.

"No!" several of us cried, but it was too late. Nothing could stop Gandalf from falling down into the abyss as much as we wanted it to. Every word that was shouted to run seemed muffled as Aragorn and the others picked us up to hurry us along. Every happy memory that I had from the Shire had included Gandalf in it; if we ever were to go home, how could we live there knowing he would never return. He was…a legend…He was…Gandalf.

The Orcs' arrows had started to fly again, but by that time we were already gone. The cold blistered my face, but it was a welcome feeling. Anything that could take away and fill the huge gap in my chest was a welcome feeling. I got more than a few feet from the door before I collapsed on the hard rocks. I didn't want to look at anyone else, knowing that they were suffering too. Least of all not Frodo, because his pain was already too much to see.

I just wanted to pound my fist against the rocks until every one of them were as broken as I felt, then lay down in the rubble and sleep. To sleep and never wake up again so that I'd never have to live through the pain of grief. So that I could just wallow in my misery, letting the same scene play through my head again…and again…and again…until it had gone away.

But the sleep wouldn't come. Even with traveling for hours on end, by the end of the day it didn't seem like I was tired. I knew the real reason, though. I just couldn't let the truth wash over me. I needed something of some sort keeping me occupied to let my mind not worry or dwell on what had happened.

We raced into the woods, but I didn't care anymore about where we were going or how we were getting there. In fact, I was thinking about a conversation that I had had with Pippin the other night. As I said, I would keep anything running through my mind to keep the pain at bay.

"_You haven't slept in days," he stated, as if I didn't already know that. The bags under my eyes alone were enough proof. I kept silent so he went on talking to fill the void in conversation. "You haven't eaten, either. Don't let what happened make you turn to starvation to make the hurt go away." Pip stared at me hard, so I knew that I'd have to say something._

"_We all are, Pip," I said, glancing around at everyone sitting and staring off into space. "Don't you see that's all we've been doing since Gandalf-" I choked on my words, not able to get them out. Pippin nodded, silent once more, obviously content to hear my voice as a sign that I was still alive. _

_Frodo came over and sat down next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder in a silent want for comfort. I leaned into him, hugging his waist. Pippin knew that he should probably leave now and he did, leaving us alone. Frodo and I hadn't talked since the incident. It was just something that we had accidentally agreed on without knowing it. We just knew deep inside that if we were going to make it, we had to make it together. _

I was brought back to the real world as I heard Gimli boasting (er…saying something important…) as we walked through the unsettling woods. "They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods." He said, moving all the hobbits closer together to listen. "An Elf-witch…of terrible power. All who look upon her…fall under her spell." Suddenly the woods seemed more ominous to me and everything looked as if it were the sorceress. I caught Sam rolling his eyes and I felt my mouth curving into a smile for the first time in what felt like years.

Gimli said something else, but I was too preoccupied with what strange thing Frodo was doing now. "What's wrong?" I asked as he whipped his head around again, clearly hearing something no one else could.

"Nothing…" he whispered after a few moments and he took my hand to try to reassure me. A smile would have been better.

"Well…" Gimli was boasting again, not aware that we were rolling our eyes at him behind his back. "Here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have to eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox." Proven wrong in an instant, of course, by the silent elves who had cut off our path, pointing arrows directly at our faces.

"The dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark," One of the identical blonde elves taunted. Merry, Pippin, Sam, and I had a hard time keeping in our laughter. It was one thing that we had joked about when we first met Gimli. He looked irritated, to say the very least.

Another hour later, we were once again in a different place, surrounded by elves once more. The place was beautiful, but not quite as much as Rivendell, I'm afraid. I think I'm a bit biased, though.

The blonde elf who had spoken earlier made rounds through each of us, stopping to talk to Legolas and Aragorn, trying to ignore Gimli altogether. He stopped at Frodo, eyes wide. "You bring great evil with you…" he said, clearly taken aback at what was going on here.

"Don't you think we're getting a little tired of hearing that? Wouldn't you think people should have noticed by now?" I whispered to Sam. He suppressed a smile and elbowed me gently. (Except replace the word gently with the phrase 'with mind-numbing pain that spread from my appendix to my chest.' I didn't think he had it in him to fight like a man…)

"You can go no further." I heard the elf say and I held back my surprise and outburst of how it was unfair. The others just turned to Frodo, who didn't have anything to say.

Half an hour later Aragorn was still fighting with the elf and we were still waiting for the verdict. Merry and Pippin were secretly counting how much smoke they had for their pipe left, Sam, ever a fan of the elves, was staring off into oblivion, and Frodo and I were sitting together, trying to think of things to say to keep the tension at bay. After an uplifting speech given to Frodo by Boromir, I finally figured something out.

"Everything's going to be alright, you know." I said suddenly, half not believing that it came out of my own mouth.

Frodo looked at me for so long that I became uncomfortable and began to ramble. "I mean…" I started, glancing around for something to take his attention away from me. I gave up and turned to look at him straight in the eye. "Sure, everything that has happened so far has lead up to the fact that we're all going to die." He smiled weakly, giving me the strength to go on. "But it's the small things that keep us going. Like…" I searched around for an example. "Like how every morning Merry and Pippin ask for Second Breakfast when they know very well that they didn't get it the day before. Or, how Gimli and Legolas have contests that prove nothing but how stupid they are to try to beat each other." By now I had earned myself a small audience and they were all smiling, a welcome sight.

"Just like when Sam insists on cooking, even when we all know he can't." Frodo joined in, surprising me. This earned a protest from Sam and a cry that he was just joking from Frodo.

"Boromir sings off-key when he sharpens his knife!" Merry piped in, eager to add anything. We all laughed softly. "They're also show tunes." Pippin added a second later and was awarded by louder laughter.

"Hey!" Sam protested again. "What about something silly that Miriam's done?" I shot him a glance and he smiled innocently at me.

"Miriam doesn't do anything wrong." Frodo said, taking my side. But Merry and Pippin were smiled evilly-never a good sign in my book.

Merry waited a few seconds to keep in suspense. "Well…" he slowly pretended to deliberate in his mind before spilling it. "She thought Pip was gay." They all laughed, even Pip before he caught on and got mad. Frodo was trying to hold it in, but I gave him a look and he let it out, unable to stop for five whole minutes.

When everything had settled down again, he gave me a thankful look. "I think you're right, Mira." He told me, calling me by my old nickname again. He pulled me closer to him. "Everything will be semi-right." He took my face in his hands and kissed me, sending a tingle up and down my spine and earning a disapproving look from Sam, the expert of spoiling all fun.

"You will follow me." The elf appeared from around the corner, apparently all fighting done. Silently I praised Aragorn's arguing abilities.

So again we trekked through the forest, but this time it wasn't as long as before and soon we were at our destination. "Caras Galadhon," The elf had called it. "The heart of Elvendom on earth," It was magnificent. "Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light."

The names had not meaning to me, but the impact of everything around us made me gasp for breath. There were spiral staircases wrapped around tree trunks the size of half the Shire. I couldn't begin to imagine how the stairs stayed on the trees. Everything about the elves had already made me feel small and insignificant, now this was something else to make me feel two inches tall.

We came to a landing to meet Celeborn and Galadriel. As they came down the steps, there seemed to be a radiance shining from their forms; an inner beauty that must have matched their outer one, for they were the most regal elves I have yet to meet. They made me feel grateful to be even looking upon their light they emitted. Yeah…that kind of effect.

"The enemy knows you have entered here," Lord Celeborn began, his voice trickling over everyone like honey. At the same time, he made my heart feel heavy, as if I were the one to blame. "What hope you had in secrecy is now gone." He stopped, glancing around at the lot of us. "Nine there are here, yet ten there were set out from Rivendell," He looked at me. Something about the numbers seemed off. Then I knew I wasn't supposed to be with the Fellowship. I had screwed something else up and this time my loved ones would pay with their lives.

He stopped looking at me. "Tell me, where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him. I can no longer see him from afar." Aragorn seemed to be avoiding Lady Galadriel's eyes. What was going on? Was she speaking to him? How?

"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land." Galadriel's voice was hardly more than a whisper, yet every syllable she spoke was loud. "He has fallen into shadow." She was shocked to hear this. We all looked guiltily back at her.

"He was taken by both shadow and flame," Legolas tried to explain. Galadriel didn't seem to understand. "A Balrog of Morgoth." Her eyes showed recognition. Celeborn looked as if he needed to sit down and digest the information. Legolas kept going on. "For we went needlessly into the net of Moria." Gimli bowed his head in shame.

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life." She answered Legolas as if he had said something despicable. "We do not yet know his full purpose." She turned to Gimli and was saying something, but I was already drifting away to some other land, not able to keep up with all that was being said.

"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife," I caught. "Stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all." Then I knew she was talking directly to me, but she went on, her eyes not pausing long on me. "But hope remains while company is true." Galadriel looked at Sam and I suppressed resentment. "Do not let your hearts be troubled, go now, and rest…for you are weary with much sorrow and toil. Tonight, you will sleep…" Her lips kept moving, speaking other words, but instead I heard a voice inside my head, although she was looking at Frodo.

_Welcome, Miriam of the Shire…you bring great peril to the ruin of all…_

My heart beat faster in my chest and my head began to spin. I tried to tell myself she must be mistaken…I wasn't the one had been carrying the ring all this time…yes, that's it…it was an error…but in my heart I knew I was fooling myself.

Yes, yes, yes…I know, I know!! It's been forever!!! And I'm not joking…I think it's been…how many months…?

Anyways…I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was a little bit shorter, but I think that the next chapter is gonna be the last chapter for the first movie…FINALLY!!! C'mon!! CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES, C'MON!! Sorry…I just finished reading the seventh book of Fushigi Yugi and the main character kinda rubbed off on me a bit…

Yes. And there have been a couple of complaints that I've been just getting all the lines from the movie and copying that. All I have to say is…if you're willing to stick around for one more chapter of that…then…you are going to love everything after that. Yeah, I'm going to be doing a lot more original things in the next couple of chapters, because I have BIG plans for Miriam…hehehe…MWHAHAHAHAHA!! I mean…

See you next chapter…hopefully…

READ AND REVIEW!!!


	8. The Breaking of the Fellowship

Hey and hello to the last chapter of the first book! Everyone happy now? j/k. I'm sure that a lot of you have been waiting for this…some more than others…but here it is, finally, all golden and new! (Ok, so I would have made it golden, but fanfiction wouldn't let me update in color...lol)

**StarTrekObsessed- **Thanks! I wasn't really going for sweet, but whatever works…lol. You know there are other chapters, right?

**GoddessoftheWaters- **You're name is so cool. (Yeesh, I get so jealous of other people's names, I should just change mine, but I'm too lazy…) You want Miriam to go with Frodo and Sam, huh? Hmmm…that could happen…or…well; you're finding out in this chapter! I think…

**MoulinRougePirate- **HA! I finally reviewed all your stories…that's about seven reviews…so I wrote a longer chapter for you.

**Elwen of the Valar- **Don't worry, you're forgiven. Thanx! But, you know, an author never reveals her secrets…MWHAHAHA…oops…I mean…giggles nervously

**Hobbitfeatures- **Yeah, I fixed the problem with the stupid chapter…don't know exactly what happened there…no, Miriam doesn't have the ring. Something else happens…it has to do with where she goes when the fellowship breaks up…or what happens after she goes where she's supposed to when the fellowship breaks up…ok, now I'M rambling. She's not evil, either. Do you really think that I would subject my precious Frodo to evil! cries thinking about poor Frodo in danger j/k. anyways, yeah, I just thought that the fellowship looked to darn perfect all the time, so it would be nice to show everybody that they're really not that picturesque. And it worked beautifully!

**I-love-thee-hobbits- **cute name! tries not to giggle uncontrollably while typing you're really sweet too. Thanx! I'm trying to write as fast as I can!

**NoroLimAsfaloth- **that's kind of ironic, because I've been neglecting reading the Yu-Gi-Oh section…lol…to tell you the truth, when I wrote the ending, I had no idea what was going to happen, and I've practically been winging it sense chapter…oh, I don't remember…but I know what I'm going to do now! (it's alright as long as I have a really good plot now, right? People won't come and beat down my door?) yeah, I'm rambling and stuff…it's because I'm tired. Lol.

I should get some kind of applause for writing while I'm sick…and for sticking with it while I was in England and Scotland over Spring Break. Yes, that's right…I went to another country with choir and I STILL wrote this story. If that's not dedication, I don't know what is…

Just one more thing…exactly how many of you read this and don't review! I'm not mad…just…curious…

Ok, ok…shh! The movie's starting!

We set up camp as best we could, but even in the unearthly glow it looked uninviting. There was a beautiful, haunting melody singing from above and try as we may we couldn't understand what it meant; the words or the singing. It wasn't until Legolas, who had been walking around, unable to sit or stand still, finally spoke.

"A lament for Gandalf," In four words he made all the memories come back full force almost making me cry. I pushed the tears and sad and angry thoughts back into my mind, not wanting to think about anything that had happened for a hundred more years.

Merry looked up to catch a glimpse of whomever was singing. The others were trying to make their beds-anything to keep their minds in tact. Gimli, the fat lard, had already fallen asleep, but Aragorn was still up sharpening his sword. Is it just me, or does he never sleep?

"What do they say about him?" Merry asked, totally ignoring Pip trying to get his attention to ask him a question about whether we had any pillows. Legolas turned toward the ground in sadness.

"I have not the heart to tell you," He swiveled back around to Merry, his blue eyes shining with sorrow. "For me, the grief is still too near." Merry seemed to take that as an answer, though he still seemed curious.

Pippin had given up on getting Merry's attention and turned to getting his bed in order. Sam and I were also fretting about the sheets and pillows, even though all had been generously supplied by the elves. I guess that when so much is at stake and there's nothing to be concerned about, my family gets concerned about nothing. I stole a glance at Frodo and quickly turned back to what I was doing. I guess there was something else to worry about too.

"I bet they don't mention his fireworks. There should be a verse about them." Pip and I nodded silently, but I was still preoccupied with Frodo's health. He'd been looking a little pale since we came back from meeting Galadriel.

_Welcome Miriam of the Shire…You bring great peril to the ruin of all…_

Those words spoken to me had been running through my mind for hours, as if all I had to do was to examine them and figure out what they meant. Me? The little Hobbit who wasn't even supposed to come along? How do _I _end up being the one who brings peril? Why is the blame suddenly all on me? Why can't Pippin be the one who ruins everything; he already does anyways!

I pushed everything I was doing out of my head and focused on a state of equilibrium. _I am fine…nothing is going to happen that shouldn't…if I was meant to ruin everyone's lives, then I'll just…I'll just…merciful heavens, what in world is Sam doing now!_ Sam's sudden loss of reality jolted me out of my thoughts.

"The finest rockets ever seen,

They burst in stars of blue and green,

Or after thunder, silver showers

Came falling like a rain of flowers…"

I knew he was loony, but…

"Oh, that doesn't do them justice by a long road…" he muttered and sat back down again. I smiled half-heartedly and walked over to Frodo.

"I don't think the state of being daunted fits you, personally." I said, sitting beside him. He didn't speak or even move at all. "This isn't good," I said harshly, hoping he heard me in the state that he was in. "If you go down, so do I. Not only that, but so does everyone else." I got up and walked quickly back over to my little bed, trying hard not to cry. He'd just been so distant…and…it was finally starting to scare me.

As I lay down, everything didn't look like it was going too swell. No one had a smile on or some semblance of happiness. I shut my eyes tight, blocking out all negative things in my way, but there was so many I could begin to feel the tears running down.

There came a touch of cold across my fingers, startling me into opening my eyes. Instead of those shining blue eyes I was expecting, I saw duller ones. It took me a second, but I suddenly realized that I was looking at Pippin-and he was holding my hand. I laid in shock for a minute, but it was comforting and that was all I needed right then. Pip pulled my hand towards him and kissed it right as I fell asleep.

_The moon was shining brightly in its reflection on the water's surface. I lazily dipped my finger into the pond, savoring the fact that nothing around me felt too hot or too cold, just the perfect temperature for a night-lit stroll. _

_It wasn't the Shire, for nothing there had this taste about it, yet it had to be the place where I was born and raised. Everything there convinced me into thinking it was my home, but it was all fake, because I knew it couldn't and wouldn't last forever. _

_I walked slowly down the rock-trodden path, not wanting the peace about this place to end. I thought I was alone, but soon I came upon someone else, sleeping underneath a tree nearby. He had white robes on, strange shoes, a staff lying on the ground beside him, and his white hat was covering up his eyes and face, making it impossible for me to distinguish who it could be. _

_The closer I got, the more he stirred, until, finally, when I was only two steps away from him, he awoke and the hat dropped onto the ground, shocking me at who was under the mask. _

_It was Gandalf._

_A hundred thoughts raced through my mind; he was dead, wasn't he? What was he doing here? What was I doing here? Where was here? Was he in some sort of limbo that only I could help him out of? _

_Gandalf sat up, looking around for his hat and placing it back on his head. It took a few moments for him to notice me, but it seemed like he wasn't surprised at my presence at all. _

_**Miriam, come here…** he whispered, but his lips didn't move. Frightened, I stayed where I was. He sighed inaudibly. I pushed against my ears, thinking I had gone deaf. Although, now that I though about it, nothing here made a sound. **There's nothing wrong with your ears.** Gandalf told me and I went to sit by him, welcomed by the sight of his smile. _

"_Where are we?" I asked him using my voice. It was small and hard to hear, but it still worked. He sat up straighter, his smile fading a bit, ready to get down to business. _

_**That's not the important issue here. **He said. I could tell by the warning signs that there was a long speech prepared. **I need to speak with you about an important matter. **He noticed my squirming. **Nothing is more important than this right now. No questions. **I settled, but couldn't stay still for one minute._

"_This is about Frodo." It wasn't a question, it was a statement! (At least that's my justification of it.) _

_**Yes.** _

We had the most comfortable sleep that was possible in the journey, yet in the morning none of us looked as if we had slept a bit. Merry and Pippin because they had too much caffeine, Sam because he was weeping for Gandalf, me because I was up all night conversing with the dead (Yes, I knew he wasn't really dead…Yeesh!), and Frodo because…well because he's Frodo and the ring-bearer isn't entitled to sleep.

Nevertheless we set out when the sun was just brightening up the sky. But first, there was a special treat. Galadriel had gifts for all of us. The elves gave us special clothing and all the hobbits were given leaf pendants for our cloaks.

"Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people," one of the elves remarked. As fascinating as that sounded, I was too tired and saddened by what Gandalf had told me to care. "May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes."

Each person in the fellowship helped to fill the boats with our food and clothes. There wasn't a glad face among any of us until Legolas found what the elves had given us as a treat.

"Lembas," he remarked, a grin creeping onto his face. (A/N: Mop-up on Aisle One- all the fangirls have melted!) "Elvish waybread." He explained to Merry and Pippin, who smile and nodded. They had no idea what he was talking about. Legolas took a tiny bite.

_Only one bite? _I thought. _No wonder all these elves are so tiny…one hobbit could eat sixteen of those things and still not be full._

"One bit is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man." Pippin and Merry nodded and smiled again. I thought it was funny that Legolas couldn't tell something was up. He put the sack down into the boat and walked off leaving the three of us sitting alone in the boat.

Merry turned to Pip, making me have to lean in to listen. "How many did you eat?"

"Four." Merry nodded, cleaning out his teeth with his finger. I hit them both with a bag full of bread.

"You're both pathetic! Not to mention disgusting!" They just looked at me without saying a word. It was creepy. Very creepy. I couldn't handle having them look at me that way, so I went to find Sam.

I wasn't looking for Frodo. I was avoiding him. Unfortunately, wherever Frodo is, Sam is.

I saw him and my breath caught in my throat. I couldn't do it…Gandalf had given me too much to handle…nothing was going to be the same after this. Thoughts swarming in my head, I tugged on Sam's sleeve as if we were four and five again.

"I have to tell you something," I whispered almost inaudibly. Sam looked at me strangely. Carefully I shifted my gaze towards Frodo, who was trying to catch my eye. There was no need for any more explanation. Sam can understand my every thought if I would let him.

We walked a little ways away from the boats and quietly began to talk.

I was going to have to face him sooner or later, but I knew I wasn't ready. When Frodo helped me into the boat, taking my hand and still holding on to it long after he saw me safely in, I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest and never allow me to have control of myself again.

"Why are you shivering?" he asked, holding onto my hand tighter now that he thought I was getting sick. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright, you'll see." Even though his voice was sincere, I could see the doubt in his eyes, telling me he didn't even have trust in himself to tell me the truth.

"How do you know?" tears began to stream down my cheeks.

"This is a relatively safe river…" Sam said, covering up for the fact that Frodo was confused by my meaning. I moved my hand from his and slowly turned around to face the river.

'_This is going to be one long ride…'_ I thought to myself, closing my eyes and letting the sound of the water calm me. It didn't do much good.

Daydreaming kept bringing me back to what Galadriel had told me while she was handing out the gifts from the other elves. Except for the leaf pendant, I had gotten nothing. Just fair warning.

'_**You were not meant to be here. What you have decided and what you will decide will bring ruin.'**_

It wasn't exactly the best of praise that I had ever received. Now that I had been given two warnings and messages, I was more than frightened. I was petrified that any footstep that I took would mean the end of the world.

If it had been any other circumstance, I would have been glad that Frodo was trying his hardest to compensate for what had happened the other night. We would have been fine if it were not all real. Then again, if it were any other situation, I wouldn't be here. I'd be sitting at home in the Shire, reading and sending mental daggers across time to my brother for leaving me there.

The scenery was beautiful, but I could hardly see anything through my tear-stained eyes. Even though I tried as hard as I could, they still kept coming, like a never ending rain.

My pain was interrupted by a clink as something fell onto the boat's floorboards. It was as bottle. As I reached down to pick it up, Frodo's eyes sparkled and I realized it was his.

"I'm sorry," I said, giddy as a schoolgirl, "I didn't mean to…I mean, it just-" he cut me off, smiling a little and taking it from me. "What is it?" I asked, amazed that such a bright liquid could be contained.

Frodo gazed fondly at it. "It's a star," he explained, twirling the bottle in his hand so that it caught the light from the sun. "To shine in dark places when all other lights go out."

"Poetic." I said, suddenly aware that I still had tears on my cheeks and wiping them away hurriedly. Frodo slipped the bottle into his bag, and then turned to look at me. His hand came up to my cheek to wipe away the last remaining tear.

"Please don't cry," he whispered, stroking my cheek even though it was now dry. "Don't cry if you can't tell me the problem so that I can fix it." It was so thoughtful that I almost felt tears leap to my eyes again, but instead I wrapped my arms around him and rested against his chest, content to be content for the moment.

We docked towards nightfall, no one really ready to fall asleep. There was too much danger involved to be carefree. The anticipation was maddening. It was as if we could almost smell the orcs and terrible creatures sneaking up on us. In fact, there was one in the river, hiding behind a small log.

Gollum had been tracking us since Moria. I was not the only one who had noticed; when Frodo figured it out, he became sullen and moody again, and Aragorn and the others had known for a while.

Frodo's absence of mind caused me to have to hang out with Merry and Pippin again. We lay down on our stomachs and began to play cards, but my heart wasn't into it. I couldn't stop thinking about how Sam, the master of pushing people into things (at least he could always make me do what he wanted me to), couldn't even get Frodo to eat one bite of anything.

"You can't spend all your time complaining, you know." Pippin looked up from over his cards and stared at me.

"Why not?" Merry asked, licking his lips and trying to cheat without any of us noticing. "You do it all the time."

"Well, you can't spend all your time worrying about Frodo, then." Pip revised. My head snapped up, startled by his boldness. "It's not healthy." For the first time in my life I didn't see him blush when he spoke that way to me.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that much longer." I said, staring hard at my cards. I didn't have anything good, but we didn't have much to bet on, so it was okay.

"What does that mean?" Merry asked, a confused look on his face. Pippin wore an identical one, too.

"Never mind," I said shortly, gathering up the cards and stuffing them harshly into Merry's bag. Both of them kept staring, as if waiting for an answer. I changed moods quickly, not wanting to sink further into a depression. "Let's play a game."

It worked. "What kind of game?" Pip asked, suddenly all smiles and cheerful again. We all sat up in a circle, as if we were in a secret club and this was our first meeting.

"We each ask each other a question and we have to answer, without hesitating, the truth to no matter what we were asked." Both looked excited. I secretly marveled at how wonderful it would be to be that easily amused. "I'll go first, to start us off." I gazed at both their faces, picking my victim. "Merry," I finally decided, thinking of a really good question right off the bat. "What's the one thing in your life that's most embarrassing to you?"

Merry turned bright red. I giggled while we waited for his answer. It was obviously right on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't have the guts to say it. "I…I…" he stuttered.

"No hesitating!" Pippin reminded him. Merry gave him an evil glare.

"Imodlkhgmygrangksndidresfnkdl," he mumbled to the ground.

"I'm sorry, but the answer doesn't count if we can't hear it."

"I…modeled my grandmother's dresses that she had made for my cousin…" he said a little louder. "And they were all pink…" Pippin and I hooted with laughter, unable to even try to control it. "My turn." He said when we finally calmed.

"Miriam," Merry flashed me a scary grin. "What is your deepest, darkest secret?" I could feel my cheeks turning red; making me wish it was darker so that they couldn't see my face.

"I've never…" I gave them both a shy glance. "I've never smoked pipe weed before." Merry started to laugh, but Pippin's mouth just hung open, as if gravity were pulling it down or something. It made me mad.

"Oh, yeah, Peregrin Took?" I said angrily. "What's _your_ deepest darkest secret?"

Pip closed his mouth and looked at the ground for a moment, suddenly turning the tables on me and becoming serious. After a couple of seconds, he looked up and stared me straight in the face.

"I've fallen in love."

There was an empty silence that hung over the three of us. Distantly I could hear the fire crackling and Aragorn and Boromir talking, but everything else to me had ceased to be heard.

"W-What do you mean?" I asked, my voice and body shaking slightly, though I couldn't imagine why.

But Pip just kept on staring, his eyes never leaving my face.

"Miriam?" the voice of my brother broke our silence. "Come over here and get to sleep!" I swallowed hard and didn't answer, but got up and joined Sam and Frodo. I was scared to look back, scared to find Pippin still staring at me, Merry's face still void of answers. It was as if I was supposed to have figured it out on my own.

"I still can't believe she hasn't ever smoked a pipe before…" I heard one of them whisper a few seconds later. _I get it…_I thought to myself, gently closing my eyes to try to fall to sleep. _It was all a joke._ Suddenly my eyes flashed open, as if of their own accord. _That's all it was…right?_

The next morning was an early start. Too early for any decent hobbit to get up, if you ask me, but nevertheless we were on the river before the sun came up.

Since I sort of have a short attention span, (who am I kidding? I don't even have an attention span…) during the entire first half hour on the boats, I poked Sam in his back while he rowed looking extremely bored.

No one seemed to want to talk to anyone else, whether in their own boat or in another. Everyone was deep in their own thoughts as they silently rowed along, eyes glazed over as tough they were far away in their own world. It made me slightly uncomfortable; I didn't have a fantasy world to escape to.

Even the river itself seemed quiet until Aragorn tapped Frodo on the shoulder. "Frodo," he half whispered. "The Argonath…" For a minute I didn't think I had heard him correctly, but then I saw that Aragorn was looking upward, towards the huge statues poised on either side of the river that I was too stupid to notice. It was two men, human men, obviously, who seemed as if they needed to be in color for the full effect of their glory. Their hands were out, maybe guarding something or just there to make themselves look royal.

"Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old." Aragorn kept talking, as if he was the only one gazing upon the kings and he wasn't talking to anyone in particular. "My kin." He added as if it were an afterthought.

They were so tall that when we began to pass them by, I couldn't crane my neck back without falling out of the boat. It was magnificent! Suddenly I laughed out loud; just one of the statues' toes was as large as my whole body!

Frodo heard me from the boat he was sharing with Aragorn. (A/N: I changed the boats around a little- there was no way that Frodo, Sam, Miriam, and Aragorn could all fit into one boat. So…Sam, Miriam, and Pippin are all in one boat with Aragorn, Frodo, and Merry in another and everyone else is basically the same.) He winked at me and I smiled. Somehow he always knew what I was thinking.

For the rest of the boat ride I fell asleep in Pip's lap. Faintly as I fell asleep, I tried not to look too much into the fact that he didn't seem to mind at all. At least I was able to kick Sam in my sleep. I'm still not willing to forget what he did to me in Rivendell.

We rested on the beach in that late afternoon. I was still asleep, but Pippin, of course, abandoned being my pillow for food. I awoke drooling in Frodo's lap. Drowsily, I tried to lift my head, but found that there was a sandwich resting on my head. Then I realized that the boats were no longer on the shore.

"Why are my feet covered in sand?" I asked sleepily. Frodo laughed a little and took the sandwich off my head, gobbling the rest of it down in a couple gulps. I sat up a bit. "Did you drag me over here?" I said, pointing to the drag marks that led back to my feet.

Frodo smiled apologetically. "I wanted to carry you, but Sam said you didn't deserve it," He noticed my confused look. "I think you gave him a bruise." We both laughed.

"Whatever I do, you can almost always bet that he started it somehow." I said and put my head on his shoulder as he did the same. WE were silent for a few minutes.

"I didn't know that you were that tired," he said, breaking the lull that was slowly putting me to sleep. My eyes flashed open, gulping and suddenly realizing why I was so sleepy.

"I…I wasn't…I didn't…get very much sleep on shore last night." I stammered. My mind was giving me a series of flashbacks; Pippin's eyes glaring into mine, Merry, Pip and I sitting in a circle, the fire illuminating Sam's face as if just by looking at me he could see into my soul. I sat up suddenly, remembering what Galadriel had told me. Frodo's eyes opened, filling with concern about what could be bothering me. "I have to tell you something." I began.

His eyes lingered on me, his brow furrowing in apprehension. I could just imagine what he was thinking. "What is it?" he asked.

"I…I…" my heart caught in my throat. "Maybe…May…" I couldn't do it. Now wasn't the time or the place. Nothing was going right. "Maybe I should get something to eat." I finished, aware that my eyes were glazed over and distant. Giving Frodo a kiss, I stumbled over to the fire near where Gimli, Pippin, and Merry were sitting with the food. Or hogging it, depending on how you look at it.

I tried to ignore the way that the three of them were giving me looks, but it didn't work. "What!" I hissed, reaching for the food on the other side of the campfire. "OUCH!" Pulling back quickly, I examined the wound I had just given myself.

Without saying a word, Gimli pulled a bottle out of his bag and threw it at me. As I caught it I realized that it was ointment for burns. "Thank you," I said, my face turning a bright shade of red when I struggled to put it on the backside of my upper arm. Sam came over to help me.

"So what were you two looking so serious about?" Sam tried to sound casual, but wasn't succeeding.

I turned around to make sure he was done putting the stuff on my arm. "It was…it was nothing." I wasn't avoiding his eyes…just looking at my burn. Who am I kidding? I was looking at everything but his eyes.

As usual, Sam didn't believe me. Everyone was staring at me with the same look. My eyes went twice their normal size. "What!" I gasped, amazed that they were so utterly stupefied by someone else's life. "It's not as if he was proposing or anything!" to my shock I saw a look of relief cross everyone's faces. Determined to not let it get to me, I rolled my eyes at them all.

Merry got up to go get firewood. Pip and Sam retreated to fighting over the remaining food, but Gimli was still looking strange. I squirmed a little out of reflex.

"It's the last thing Frodo needs to be thinking about, Ms Miriam," he spoke to me as if I were a little hobbit in her tweens instead of one who is fully capable of handling her own problems. "You're just making it harder on him." I glared, but kept my face down, staring hard at the sand beneath my feet. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Merry trotting back over with more firewood.

Merry suddenly tripped, spilling the wood everywhere. I swear, sometimes he is just as bad as Pippin. I could feel myself start to smile in spite of everything else. The fleeting happiness lifted just as soon as Gimli forgave Merry.

"Where's Frodo?" someone asked, and I was on my feet a second before anyone else was. Without thinking, my feet took off running of their own accord, with me powerless to stop them. I had no idea where I was going, but that didn't seem to matter anymore. For some reason, I knew exactly where Frodo was.

He had picked the perfect place to hide, but he wasn't there. For some odd reason, I had an ominous feeling that his presence was there, but as I looked everywhere around me, I couldn't find him.

Then, suddenly out of the corner of my eye I saw him. He was falling, appearing out of nowhere from the top of some sort of stone sanctuary. I was on the other side of the field, and, before I could reach him, Aragorn come from behind Frodo.

There was some hushed talking, but suddenly Frodo leapt up from his place on the ground and began to run away from our protector, as if he were some sort of evil. They ran underneath the stone pavilion. I jogged over behind a stone column to hear better, not understanding at all what was going on.

"I swore to protect you." Aragorn explained, trying to come closer to show he meant no harm.

"Can you protect me from yourself?" said Frodo, looking down and opening up his right hand, where the ring now lay in the open. There was a little light of hope in his face as he asked, "Would you destroy it?" Aragorn shuffled closer, as if inticed by the ring and hearing its voice call to him.

Aragorn bent down and closed Frodo's fist, not giving in to the ring's wishes. "I would have gone with you to the end." He nearly whispered, pushing Frodo's fist back at him. "Into the very fires of Mordor." Frodo gave him a grateful look.

"I know."

He was still talking, but suddenly all I could focus on was the noise coming from behind us. It was the sound of hundreds of orcs, charging toward us, getting closer every second.

Aragorn heard it, too. "Go, Frodo!" he said, pulling out his sword. "Run." Frodo looked up and noticed me for the first time. I could almost see his mouth form my name, but I was too preoccupied with the fact of running away. I ran toward him, almost knocking Aragorn over, and pulled hard on his hand. Just over the hill were the orcs.

We ran hard, dodging trees and brushes with ease. Suddenly I stopped, panting, with Frodo running a little a head of me before noticing.

"I have to…tell you…" I sputtered, trying to get enough air to talk. Frodo glanced around impatiently and trying frantically to pull me along again.

"Yes, yes, everything will be alright, but we have to-"

"No!" I blurted out, not allowing him to finish. "You don't understand! I'm not leaving with you!"

He gave me a look of reproach. "I know, but you'll be with Sam and Merry and Pip-" I caught his arm and forced him to look at me.

"I'm not leaving with you. I'm not leaving with anyone."

Confusion dawned on his face. "But, if…Where are you going?" There were tears in my eyes by this time and I could see his were about to start.

It was all I could do to not to tell him where I was going to go, or what I was going to do without him. I simply took his face in my hands and gave him one last kiss.

It's short, I know, but that's all the movie's fault for putting so much stuff in there that I didn't need! j/k! and I'm very sorry this took so long to put out, but I was sick and I went to England and…there are a million and one excuses.

The next chapter will be better. For some reason I didn't feel like I gave this one my all. (This is the point when all you loyal readers go, "No! It was better than the other chapters!" That will probably never happen, will it?)

I'll be writing while I'm in Galveston over the next week, but I have my birthday after that, and I've already been so busy with Driver's Ed…but I'll write as much as I can! Plus, I have to take my permit test in July.

And who wants to write on their birthday, anyway? Oh, wait…that would be me… 

Emmablk1


	9. Stupid Orcs

Hey look at this! I'm actually writing on my birthday! That's right, I'm fifteen on July the fifth!

Not that anyone really cares.

**NoroLimAsfaloth- **lol, well the chapter was a little shorter than usual and I was in a hurry b/c I had taken too long to write it. It will be better this time around b/c now it's not all copied from the movies…well, not all of it. What was some of the confusion?

**Shadowed Doubts- **I'm very sorry that I overlooked this. I promise that I will go back and change it as soon as I'm done writing this to you. I didn't realize that I had done that. I'll get on my friend's case for not catching it! ;)

**Spearofhope- **You're too kind. No, really….it can't be that good! Frodo and Sam will be fine in my incapable hands. Wait, I mean…capable…heheheh…Sry! I was at camp and couldn't get to a computer!

**Mimababs- **I don't think there actually IS a description of Miriam…hmm…I'll give you one. Uh…curly hair is a given. I would think that it would be similar to Sam's hair color, since they are related as much as Miriam hates to admit…so blonde curly hair, probably shorter than Frodo because she is younger than him. Did I ever mention if she was Sam's older or younger sister? I think she's younger. Do you need to know how she dresses too? Because she changes clothes at Rivendell and I described that…ok, now I'm just rambling. Lol. Hope that helps!

**BlondeAndBrilliant- **lol, well I thought that since I'm a bigger fan of Elijah Wood than Orlando Bloom I would give some people something else to laugh and scream about. Glad you enjoy it!

**SqUiDsLiLpYO- **you're too flattering, but not so much that you need to stop anytime soon! Lol, I really am blushing right as I right this because of your comment. If you write that fic, though, I really would like to read it!

**Haras- **wow you liked it that much to give me several different reviews for each chapter! I love you! Lol, thank you very much for sticking with the story and adding me on your alert list and your favorites listYou're awesome! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

And, once again, I apologize for the chapter last time. There was really no way around the shabby ending. If anyone could give me a pointer on how, in any way, that Miriam could have been incorporated in those last pivotal scenes then I would love to have her do something other than watch and run away. (Looking back, it seems really confusing to me!)

On with the story!

* * *

I cried more than I did whenever Gandalf left us. I cried so much that I couldn't see anything that was in front of me when I started running as fast as I could. The trees were ugly brown splotches to my eyes and everything green seemed to be in my way. Then I stumbled and fell, scratching my face up badly on the tree branch that I fell on top of on my way down.

I realized that I was exhausted, that the sleep from last evening did me no good. My body refused to move even though my brain was telling it to. All there was left to do was to lay there and take whatever was coming at me on the ground.

_Why am I so stupid!_ I chastened myself, trying hard to stop the tears rolling down my face. _Why can't I be brave, like Aragorn or Gimli or Legolas? Or…well…not like Pippin or Merry, but… _I suddenly became very aware that there was no longer any sound coming from any direction. Immediately every thought in my mind was replaced by one; I have to keep moving.

No stopping, no slowing down, only checking to see which direction to go in next.

And run. Run as fast as possible.

* * *

My knees were aching with effort as every step that I took brought pain shooting up my legs. Apparently the fall that I had taken earlier had nearly broken my ankles. (Whether it was one or both I can't remember…)

The realization came to me that I had no idea where I was. I had just taken any direction that had made sense at the time and now I was paying dearly for that decision. Looking back, it wasn't one of my brighter ideas. There was nothing recognizable around me, but I was running as fast as I could, so I didn't care very much.

There was a sound from behind me, so I sped up as much as it was possible for a hobbit. But I couldn't keep going for forever; something had to stop me. That something, unfortunately, was a tree. A big tree.

"Ooof!" I cried, my head practically bouncing off the trunk, making a hollow sound from the tree. Rubbing my head, I got up and walked around it, trying to understand why it made that sound. There was a hole in the tree, one just big enough for a small hobbit like me to hide in.

The sound I had heard before came louder, still from behind me, but closer. Suddenly it concerned me more than it had before. Thinking fast, I ducked into the tree, of course, hitting my head on the way in.

The only sounds that I heard for a few minutes were those that were there already. I sighed audibly, thinking inwardly, _Stupid! You're so paranoid! Get off your butt and head back to the Shire already! _I hit my head against the inside of the tree, banishing thoughts of spiders and millipedes gathering in my hair. _Why did I even leave? So both Gandalf and Galadriel told you to go, have you ever listened to anyone before? Sam doesn't count; he's your socially deprived broth-_

My thoughts were interrupted by a loud noise right beside me. Breathing becoming rapid, I wouldn't dare look outside that hollow tree if you paid me in food. The air became so cold that I had to start to breathe through my mouth, which instantly became white in the air.

I closed my eyes, willing myself to not make a sound, not one move. I was shivering, but the thing couldn't reach me if I just…stayed…quiet.

Silence…

My eyes snapped open.

The earth seemed to stand still…

My labored breathing became louder…

It moved…sending spirals of sweat pouring down my back…

Then, all at once, it moved on, stopping in front of me with its back turned, pausing to check the area thoroughly once more. As it turned around, I shivered again as I saw what it was; a Ringwraith.

A million thoughts raced through my mind: _What is it doing here? I thought all nine were hunting down the other members of the fellowship who are actually doing something worthwhile…? Does this mean that this Ringwraith is a…tenth Ringwraith? Is that even possible! Is it after me…or after the others? Maybe it picked up my scent and thought…oh…my…gosh…_

It left and my blood pressure dropped a couple hundred notches. I never wanted to leave the tree again. Unfortunately, I had just realized that since the Ringwraith had been so close, that probably meant that I'd only been running for about an hour.

Which meant that I still had time to catch back up with the others and warn them.

* * *

'They probably already know anyways,' was the thought that should have been waltzing through my head at that point. Although, I was still as shallow as ever, and was only thinking about chocolate pasties (Mmmm…chocolate…). It was dumb to even think that after an hour they would all still be there, waiting for me with tea.

Even so, as I got closer I began to recognize my surroundings and build up hope that they were all there. The empty camping site by the river that we used didn't register to me; the blood stains on the ground didn't show up in my eyes until I saw Boromir.

(The one question I have to ask is this: how can one man sustain so many arrows being shot through his body and not die at the first one! He has to be some sort of immortal or something…)

"Oh my gosh…" I gasped, falling down on my knees. The sight of his body made me want to retch. Was his the only body here, or, heaven forbid…were there others?

The smell of all the blood covered every sense so that it was the only thing I could smell, see, and even taste. I could feel that morning's skimpy lunch caught in my throat and I let it out, letting the new smell block out the old.

They were all gone. The orcs, Frodo, Aragorn, Merry, Pippin, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf, Sam…Boromir…I was utterly alone.

I tried to wipe the throw up from my face only to have tears mixed in with the mess that was my mouth. It felt so silly to cry now, after all the baby crying I'd already done on this trip. It was time for me to go home, where I belonged, where I was cared for, and where I knew where the food was exactly.

I would have gone home right at that moment, too, if it hadn't been for the blunt object that hit my head, sending me into darkness.

* * *

Hehehe…I was seriously considering stopping here….but then I thought that you people would be really mad that I updated so quickly and it was only four pages long…lol

* * *

I was having the most wonderful dream about the tavern in Hobbiton, with Sam and Rosie slow dancing in the corner. There was food covering every inch of the tables, so of course I was in heaven with Frodo giving me a backrub…ahh…

But then my left arm was on fire and I couldn't understand why. I couldn't move it even an inch unless I wanted pain upon pain running up and down my entire arm. Then I became aware that I couldn't move my body. The tavern dissolved away into nothingness and I suddenly felt like I was falling.

I gasped and woke up, wondering for a minute why I was seeing my surroundings passing by me without moving my feet. My left arm was locked in an embrace so tight that it was holding my entire body up on somebody's back. An orcs' back.

Trust me; it's not a very pleasant experience.

Both my arm breaking and my being carried on the back of an orc like a sack of potatoes, I mean.

There was so much pain with no way to contain it. With every step that the orc took, I felt it twice as much in my arm. The orc carrying me wasn't very bright. In fact, as it (he?) stumbled over everything that was not totally flat, I had the sinking feeling that he was dumber than the others. Which, with my luck, makes sense.

I tried to lift my head a little without putting pressure on my arm. I pulled my right arm over the orc's shoulder and leaned on that instead. Orcs and grasslands. Nothing worth seeing. I wanted to puke.

_If only there was some way to get this bloody orc to let go of my arm…_I thought, trying to move my fingers, which were not responding to my brain, even the tiniest bit. I bit back tears as I felt a particularly nasty bump ride through my arm. As a natural reaction, (don't ask me why…) I kicked the part of the armor with my knee that covered the orc's back. Figuring that it hurt me more than it had hurt him, I was surprised to hear a gasp of pain that wasn't mine.

Looking down, I found that there was a crack in his armor right between his shoulder blades. This certain orc must have been a wimp. I suddenly noticed that he was straggling farther and farther behind the rest of the crowd. A grin broke out on my face, which felt as if it hadn't been used like that for days.

Sigh. Bringing him pain was the only decent thing I could do to thank him for **kidnapping** me!

So I kicked him several times with all my might. Each time, he stopped for longer periods of time, trying to figure out what it was that was bothering him. _They must have messed up on his genes or something…_I thought bitterly, wanting to laugh. Finally he passed out from the 'pain'. I cried out; my arm was still stuck in his grasp. Mad at myself for putting me in this position, the only thing I could do was to pull it out from under him.

It only took a couple of seconds, but I could hear my left arm breaking even more so, meaning that it was probably disconnected by now. I wanted to lie down and cry, but the thought that there might be more orcs coming up behind me fueled me to start running.

The orcs were running toward something to the left, so I went to the right. After a few miles, I could see a dark forest coming up ahead of me.

* * *

Yes, I'm sorry that this chapter was sort of stinky. The next one will be better, I promise! This one was sort of a filler before the fun stuff begins. Sigh. I'm not going to get very good reviews for this, am I?

Things are a little confusing for right now, but I really do have a place to go with this, so just stay with me for right now, alright?

SORRY!

Emmablk1


	10. Oracles are THAT ugly?

I only got four reviews so far for the last chapter…I think I might cry…

**Mimababs-** aw! Did you know that you're the only person who has ever told me thanks for answering a review? You're so nice! Glad you liked the chapter.

**NoroLimAsfaloth- **lol. I know…I feel really bad for Miriam.

**SqUiDsLiLpYrO- **did I mention that I love you! J/k, of course. But it's always nice to know that I don't stink at writing. Lol. You feel bad for the stupid orc! I want to kick him to death. Imagine how stupid he would have to be to kidnap the heroine. Lol. I think I would fall into the same category as you if I had gotten captured. Miriam must have inherited some gene that Sam also has that makes them brave, but dull-witted. Oops…people who like Sam are going to hurt me now, aren't they?

**Spearofhope-** oh…sorry! I guess I…forgot…about Frodo and Sam. Because they're so easy to, you know. I mean…they are only main characters and all. Lol. Don't worry! Everyone comes back in later! You know that nothing can happen to them, anyways, because you know the ending of the story. Well, at least you would if you read the first chapter. Which, hopefully, you did. Hey! I didn't take that long! You want the chapters to be long, right! (Oh…it would probably be a good idea to be nice to my readers, huh?)

Sigh…I haven't gotten this small of reviews for one chapter since chapter one. It's ok, though, because at least because of the hit count I know that people are still reading it.

The chapter is starting!

* * *

Whoops. At least, I thought that there was a forest in front of me. Apparently, I'm blind as well as dumb. Suddenly realizing that the darkness in front of me was rain clouds, my broken arm began to hurt even more, almost like a dull, throbbing, never-ending pain instead of the usual sharp pains from whenever I moved it.

_Great,_ I thought, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. _Now I can predict the weather, too._ Why was I cursed with no sense of direction? There I stood in the middle of some godforsaken grassland and I had no earthly idea which way was up.

There was a sudden clap of thunder from up ahead and lightening soon followed it. Where was I supposed to go? I couldn't stay in the same place; there might be orcs somewhere near behind me. I mean, obviously they were all headed in the same direction, no matter how fast or slow they ran.

Theo only choice I had was to keep running straight into the thunderstorm. Hitting my head with my unbroken hand, trying as hard as I could to find another solution without having to run, I started off again, keeping my eyes open for anything that even looked like something I could be protected under.

Hmmm…maybe…the grass? No, I wouldn't be able to blend. A rock? I'm not that short, thank you very much. That tree over there? Wait a minute, what tree! _You're being delusional again…_I told myself, staring blindly at the tree that seemed to have popped out of nowhere.

Rubbing my eyes, I noticed that I hadn't been quite as wrong as I had thought. There was a forest in front of me; it just took me running a billion miles to get to it. This particular tree was a few hundred feet in front of the rest, growing on a little slope and making a nice piece of shade that suddenly seemed very inviting to my tired legs and broken arm.

Dragging myself over to it while trying not to feel the pain in my arm, I collapsed underneath its shady branches. I kept my brain awake long enough to make a make-shift bandage from my dress (unfortunately, I was still wearing that silk dress that I had gotten from Rivendell and I hadn't taken a bath since we left there. Just pretend like you still can't smell me.) and wrap it around my arm as a sling. Without even bothering to check and see if there was any danger, (not a smart idea, let me tell you…) I promptly fell asleep and drifted off into dreamland.

* * *

"_I wanted to show you something," Frodo said, reaching into his pocket. In the distance I could hear a melody playing over the balcony where we stood, still in Rivendell._

_He began to mutter under his breath, now searching faster. "Of course I can't find them…first thing I do after I kiss the girl of my dreams is get flustered… "_

"_Don't forget the part about the girl of your dreams' brother catching them in the act and yelling at them both." I reminded him and we both took an unconscious glare over toward the bushes to make sure Sam wasn't still there._

_Laughing, he pulled something out of his pocket and grabbed my hand, turning it over so that it faced palm up. "This was something that I picked up right before we left." He whispered, clasping the something in my palm and keeping his hand over mine. _

_I stared down with curiosity. "What is it?" I asked, suddenly wondering why we were whispering. Frodo laughed a little and uncovered his hand, smiling as he heard my gasp of surprise. _

_I held the flowers aloft to see it better. "Oh...Forget Me Knots!" two flowers were held together by one stem, their fragrant wafting over me. "They're my favorite!" Frodo gently took them back from me and separated the two so that they became two separate flowers. _

"_Keep it in your pocket." He ordered, giving me one and keeping the other. "I'll do the same." He pocketed the other flower, safely storing it away. "If we're ever separated, then we will have these to remember each other." He smiled and bent over to kiss my forehead._

_I was still concerned, though. "But, what if they die in there? They won't get any air or water."_

_Frodo took the flower and put it in my pocket, near the place where he put his in his own jacket. (A/N: she's wearing a dress, so it's going to be a little different, right?)_

"_It's a little like pressing flowers in a book," he explained, keeping his hands on my waist as I began to wrap my arms around his neck. I sighed happily as he pulled me closer. "You know…they stay…er…um…pressed?" _

_I laughed, pulling back a little. "You have no idea what you're talking about, do you?" I asked him, enjoying his face turning red. _

"_Yes I do…" he seemed indignant. "I just can't concentrate, that's all."_

_And with that, he caught me for another kiss.

* * *

_

I awoke with a start, trying to allow my eyes to adjust to the darkness that now surrounded me. How long had I been asleep? The moon wasn't out yet, so that was an encouraging sign.

That dream had startled me back to reality. How could I have forgotten about the flowers? Quickly, I reached into my pocket with my good arm. Just touching the petals instantly made me feel safe and warm again. Instead of cold, hungry, and heartbroken, I felt as if I were back where I belonged; the shire. _What an idiot I was to leave!_ I thought, somehow managing to get up and stretch a little. _I have to get back there as soon as possible…_

A pang hit me and I realized that going back home meant moving farther away from the people who most likely needed me the most. But what was it that Galadriel had said again? Oh, yeah, I'm a peril-bringer to everyone in the fellowship. That really had boosted my ego. Even Gandalf had told me at least once to stay away from Frodo and Sam.

With a firm resolve, I directed myself towards the even-blacker-now-that-it-was-dark forest, banishing all the extra thoughts running through my head. With every step I took the forest got bigger and wider.

Looking up and closing my eyes to feel the wind softly blowing on me face, for some reason I suddenly had a feeling that I was walking toward my doom instead of from it.

* * *

Let me just make one thing perfectly clear: the people who like to go camping without tents and some sort of blanket are absolutely crazy. I don't know how they do it. No self-respecting hobbit would make oneself go through the pain and misery of sleeping on the ground in the entrance of a forest without a decent pillow, blanket, midnight snack, and a pre-midnight snack.

Why was I on this trip again?

_Wait. Don't think about that. That only causes pain. No more thoughts about Frodo. Or Sam. Don't try to think about all the horrible things that could be happening to them right now. No! Nothing is going to happen to them! Stop it!_

Waking from a dreamless sleep and noticing that the sun was just coming up, I decided that to keep walking would be better than nothing at all. I mean, what else did I have to do?

The forest wasn't as scary or cold as it was during the night. In fact, seeing all of nature waking was something that I had never had the pleasure of noticing before. Sam had, maybe, but he woke even before the sun had risen. For a brief instant I was jealous of my brother. He knew so much more than I did even then.

Left with nothing else to ponder, I started to remember more about that dream that I had the night before. Why in the world had I just now remembered when Frodo gave me the flower? Pretty soon I had made my own head hurt, so I stopped thinking about it for a while.

_What's that noise?...oh…my stomach…_looking down at it, I swear that I almost could see it move. _Whoops…I guess I forgot about second breakfast…_now I knew something was wrong with me. How could I forget about second breakfast?

Then I remembered that I had run away without any food or extra clothing. Suddenly wanting to have the power to peal off my layer of dirty skin, I heard my stomach roar again.

"Ok, ok!" I said to it, poking it gently to try to make some of the hunger go away. "I'll get something, I promise!" _sigh…_ I thought sadly, looking around for anything edible. _I think being away from Sam and Frodo for too long has thrown my mind and my stomach out of sync._

Hmm…no berries…no apples…no beer…where's the tavern when I needed it! _Ok…calm down…you'll get food soon…everything will be all right…_and now I was consoling myself. I really needed to get home and sleep in my own bed.

There was nothing to eat. I could have searched the entire forest for anything that even looked remotely like water or sap or something, but nothing would have come up. Or maybe I just am not a very good finder. Or looker. Or whatever.

Then I saw something that kept me entranced. A single thread of golden sunlight streaming through the treetops, glittering almost as if it were dancing caught my eye and held it. Not knowing why it was so enticing, I began to walk toward it, my hand leading the way as if it possessed on its own.

* * *

(A/N: hey, I just noticed…this is the 100th page! YAHOO! I apologize for the lax in the story. We now return you to your regular scheduled program.)

* * *

Coming from the light was soft music, but if I listened closely I could just make it out…

_Wishing you were somehow here again…_

_Wishing you were somewhere near…_

_Sometimes it seemed, that if I just dreamed,_

_Somehow you would be here…_

It was only with restraint that I help back the tears that suddenly popped into my eyes. Why was this magical music box playing, in all places, the forest? In the back of my mind I knew it was luring me in somehow, but for some reason, the thought of 'why' wouldn't ever reach the place where I held my common sense and I kept walking.

Maybe if I had never had the sense to follow my own instructions and not have gone into the woods, then the following wouldn't have ever happened and I would have just gone on (well, maybe not peacefully) back home to my nice warm bed. But, then again, if I hadn't been so stupid, then nothing ever would have gotten resolved, right?

The light was warm and inviting as I came right up next to it. In fact, it seemed serene and peaceful. Until I walked into it, that is.

That's when I noticed that it was no longer warm; it was windy. And suddenly I couldn't see the trees anymore. The only thing surrounding me now was alternating colors of light and dark, blinding me for half a second, and then throwing me into darkness the next.

Then all at once it stopped. I still couldn't see anything outside of the light, as if I were in a sealed box. _I knew it was a trap._ I told myself, quietly also telling myself to shut up. That's when I noticed the creepy looking guy sitting cross-legged on the ground, his hands on his knees. He was not one color for more than two seconds. He was blue, the red, then black, then yellow, making my eyes hurt more. His eyes were closed and he looked as if he were in some sort of meditation.

"Uh…excuse me?" I asked sort of quietly, not sure whether or not I was allowed to break his concentration. There was silence for a few moments, and I almost started trying to break my way out of the force field before he spoke suddenly.

"You have come." He whispered, his voice barely more than audible. It had some a buzzing quality to it, though, that filled my ears and made me want to listen.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"You were meant to be here." He added, not nearly answered my question. I wanted to raise my eyebrows in sarcasm, but thought that might be a little too rude. Besides, how would he know? He had his eyes closed.

"Ok…what is going on here? Is this some sort of joke? Did someone conk me on the head and spin me around to get me to get lost and find wherever here is?" I joked, wanting to laugh at how ridiculous this all was.

"You were meant to get lost, just as you were meant to find this place." I scoffed.

"What is this place, exactly?"

Silence for a few seconds. Then it smiled, turning my skin into a hair-raising bump machine. "All in good time, little one."

I stood for a few more minutes, and then finally exploded. "I'm sorry, but I'm on a tight schedule and I really need to get going, so-" I was interrupted by his weird voice.

"Don't worry. Someone has arranged for you to be here, as you were meant to be." This 'you-were-meant-to-be-here' stuff was getting really old really quick. He shocked me into being quiet.

"Are you some sort of oracle?" I asked thinking and hoping that he wasn't some sort of manic who would jump out and kill me anytime soon.

"You should know the answer to that." Was all he graced me with.

I sighed, going crazy from the lack-of-answer thing. "Will you just give me one straight answer?"

"Yes." With that we fell back into the quiet. Five minutes passed…then ten…twenty.

Once again, I couldn't hold it in any longer. "You mean that Gandalf knew about this!"

"No. you were meant to be here to listen."

"You keep saying that. For some reason it still doesn't seem to sink in." I was being sarcastic now, instead of treating him with reverence like I should have (I think), but I didn't care.

"You must continue on a different path."

"I know I'm lost." He showed no sign of emotion, but I could suddenly tell that he was getting angry with me.

"That is not what this one meant." He said, still in the same position as when I first saw him. I began to let my mind wander about how he could stay still for so long, but I brought it back quickly.

"Then stop speaking in riddles!" I shouted.

"Turn around on the path and go back."

"Go…back?" I had two warnings from two very different people about not continuing and now some weirdo in a forest was trying to tell me the exact opposite! Where exactly did my life take that huge dip in the wrong direction?

"Yes."

"I can't!"

"You must."

"Tell that to Gandalf and Galadriel, because they're sure not going to let me!" I was angry because I hadn't had a bath for a fortnight and smelled like manure.

"You have a destiny to fulfill." That got my mind reeling; apparently, if I traveled in either direction then I would be bringing peril or 'fulfill' my destiny.

"And what exactly is my destiny?" I asked with a spiteful twist in my words.

For the first time he opened his eyes. I nearly fell backwards on my butt, shocked beyond all wits. There were no pupils in his eyes; they were completely white and solid.

"Turn around." He commanded.

"But…where do I go?"

"Find the one you are supposed to help." He never blinked.

"Who is that?"

"Go."

"Tell me who!" I shrieked and there was a sudden gust of wind encircling me, whipping at me from all directions. I hugged myself around the middle to keep it from cutting me, but as soon as I did it stopped. When I opened my eyes again, he was gone and so was the light that I had first seen. The music had stopped and I found myself wanting it back again. It reminded me of a lament. A lament for Frodo. _Stop it! He's not dead!_ I commanded my brain to stop thinking that way. It was way too morbid.

I still had no idea where I was. (Well, I knew I was in a forest, duh.)

Or where anyone else was, for that matter. We were all split up, going in opposite directions at the same time and getting further away all the while. So I did the only thing I could do in that situation. I stepped around in a circle, pointed in the exact opposite direction and started walking. It was the only thing any sensible grown-up hobbit would do, and wasn't I all three things?

It was a lot lighter than I thought it had been earlier. I guessed that several hours had passed since I had started talking to the annoying ugly guy. Oh, sorry. I suppose I should call it (him?) an oracle. Sigh.

Where to now? Do I follow his 'suggestion'? I stopped in my tracks. Was this really the way I should be going? I rubbed my eyes with my left hand, not remembering that it was broken, and got a shock of pain shooting up my arm. Readjusting the sling, I decided to ignore the warning. Nothing that strange could have really happened to me. That's right. Everything that I just saw was just a dream. Something that my mind made up to play a trick on me.

Everything would be fine without following the advice of some lunatic. With that thought going through my mind, I found the path I was on previously and kept walking in that direction, never knowing that the choice I had just made had dire consequences.

* * *

ok, was that better? I had more fun writing that chapter than before, so…yeah. And I was able to work some new things in that I had forgotten or needed to advance the plot. Oops…did I say too much? Lol. j/k.

everything I write is so see-through anyways, that I'm sure the smarter people have figured out where she's headed by now. Don't be too disappointed, mind you. Lol.

oh and the song is from The Phantom of the Opera, the new musical that i'm obsessed about. it takes the place of Wicked, which i'm going to see in October! YAY!

Ok, I want to see my e-mail full of alerts that I have new reviews, ok? Ok! See you peoples in the next chapter!

Emmablk1

P.S. if you review, I'll give you chocolate! Shh!


	11. Why Do I Even Bother?

Yay! Everybody loves chocolate! Hehehe…I should bribe you with chocolate more often…lol.

**Spearofhope-** lol, ok, ok I get it! You really like the story! Lol…hey! I already told you that I would read the rest later…! I'm just swamped under all the homework that I have for algebra II and chemistry. I WILL get around to it later, pinky swear!

**TheLoneShe-Elf-** when I wrote the fifth chapter I was in Galveston with my grandmother. She lives right on the strand near the seawall. Tehe. I go visit her every summer, so I was without a computer a lot. Lol. I actually live in Burleson. If you don't know, that's near Ft. Worth. Thank you for reviewing twice, though! I wuv people who review more than once!

**Haras Railfcm-** wow. Thank goodness that something I wrote was thought of as romantic. Sigh…lol I love reading your reviews b/c they're so long and thoughtful.  I just became a phantom of the opera obsessive, too! Actually, I bought the book today, so I hope to write a fic for that sometime soon, too and take down some of my other ones. Ooh! I inspired you! I want to read them! (yay! I did something right for a change! Tehe.) yeah, I like to respond to the reviews b/c I feel special whenever someone else does it for me. Lol. Actually this is the only fic that I've ever responded to reviews. Thanks because I'm a dork, lol.

**Mimababs-** yay! Can I have it in writing that I inspired you too? I want to show my old English teacher so that she can brag on me some more to her new students, lol. j/k. Please send it to me! (or else you will have to endure an eternity of 'please please please please please please…etc. for the rest of your natural life, lol!)

**SqUiDsLiLpYrO-** lol! Oh my gosh! I went and looked at that movie on albino back sheep (one of my favorite sites, by the way…) and I couldn't stop laughing the entire time! Gee…I guess that's what I get for not getting on there for months at a time. Lol. Thank you for the nice things you said about reviews. Yeah, my hit counter is way, way up! It finally got over 600 the other day and I was very happy. But I got a lot more reviews for this last chapter, even though I got my first flame. (yeah…that wasn't too much fun to read…)

**Uherenye Hinuinithil-** yes, I believe that I've already talked to you about you're review. I can't say that I'm too thrilled about getting my first flame for this last chapter, but everything's ok. bursts into tears

**NoroLimAsfaloth-** I just became acquainted with the phantom of the opera, but I've loved Moulin rouge for forever…I swear that I'm wearing out both of the CDs and I'll have to buy new ones very soon. Grr…I have Moulin rouge on DVD, but I need to get phantom of the opera before I die of not watching it for a couple of days…lol. (lol my mom and I rented it at blockbuster and I watched it every day until it was due the next Saturday. I'm having withdrawals.)

**Anawey-** you're name sounds so pretty…oh no! I didn't mean to make you sad! Although, looking at the story now, I guess it is pretty sad…oh well. Don't worry about Miriam. I know exactly where she's going to end up. Everything turns out perfectly fine. Well, you should know the ending if you read the beginning, but it's the fun of getting there that counts. Lol!

**StringynKel-** lol that was a very entertaining review! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! So, you and your friend write the fics together? Lol, I had to read your profile to understand why you said something about Kel. Now I get it! Yay for FrodoFangirls!

**Esmerald tears- **sigh; I love it whenever I get new reviews – random ones if you will. Lol. Thank you very much! Yeah, I want her with Frodo, too, but unfortunately that's not the way that the books go…besides, something else happens, too. (Shh! I can't spill the beans on that secret!)

Wow…so many reviews. Thank you all!

Ok, people…everything will turn out alright…trust me. I have it all already figured out, ok? Ok.

Except for anyone who sends in a flame. I swear, I want all my loyal readers to track that person down and hurt them! ….no offense…

No, really. I was just kidding. But it still hurt a lot. 

Alright already…jeez…I know that you will kill me if I don't start soon…so…

HERE IT IS!

* * *

Why is it that forests are scarier at night? Sometimes I think that they were created just to be freaky and haunting at the time of day when the sun is no longer shining. Serves me right that I had been hunted down by an oracle, decided not to take its advice, and then gotten scared all throughout the night; needless to say, I didn't sleep a wink the entire time I had to sleep while still traveling through the forest.

I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I was hopelessly lost. Well, I knew I was lost, but having some of my pride prevented me from actually saying it aloud. Everything sounds worse when you say it out loud, where everything and everyone can hear. And, for some odd reason, it usually made everything worse.

So I kept moving. Sometimes I'd be so drowsy from lack of sleep that I wouldn't know from where exactly I had already walked. This was not an especially good sign, but nevertheless, I kept walking until my feet hurt. Which was a lot.

Then one night I heard the trees move. It was nothing unusual, but this time it was a different kind of rustling. There was the sound of branches rustling and then a THUNK every few seconds. It was almost as if…the trees were…moving?

_That's absurd!_ I told myself, getting up from my very uncomfortable spot on the ground. _Trees can't move! …Right…?_ Telling myself once again that I was going crazy, I decided to investigate.

I tried to pull myself up from the ground, but forgot for a second that my left arm was still broken, and collapsed in pain. After getting up again without any pain, I started to walk toward the noise, but stopped when I heard strangely familiar voices.

"Do you have any more?"

"No, if you don't, then why would I?"

"Well, you don't smoke it as much as I do."

"Stop confusing me with yourself."

"I am not!"

"You are too; you do this all the time."

"I do not!"

"Yes you do; I'm taller, you're shorter, I'm smarter, you're dumber, I smoke more than you do. You can see how easy it is to confuse us."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"About the last part? Yes. The rest is true."

Not even halfway through the conversation I was sure it was Merry and Pippin's voices I was hearing. Any halfwit would know that by the end of the squabbling. They were a lot nearer now. Their voices were louder, as was the strange sound that sounded like a tree moving slowly.

Which was exactly what was happening.

Taken off guard, I fell back on my butt as the humongous tree came into sight.

It moved so gracefully for something that was fifteen times bigger than I was, moving slowly but steadily. I let my mouth drop open half in awe and half in surprise.

"Hey, Pip! It's Miriam!" I heard Merry call down to me, but I couldn't see either of them anywhere.

"Where? That's not Miriam, you idiot; that's a tree branch!"

"No, Butt face, down there!"

Down? Just where were they?

"Oi; you're right for once! Miriam! Up here!"

"For once?"

Then I saw them. They were in the tree, because they're idiots. (and still are.) I had no idea how they got up there, but they were sitting in the branches of the…thing, looking like they were having all the fun in the world sitting in a place that if they fell they would instantly be putty.

"She looks a little shocked." Pip said as Merry put down the finger he had been pointing at me.

"Yeah, we should always show up like this; it certainly guarantees us to be the life of the party!"

Meanwhile, I still hadn't found my voice; it was lost somewhere between Rivendell and when the orc had taken me. There was just no way that Merry and Pippin would be here. How the heck could they! I was supposed to be going home to the Shire, not stumbling upon ridiculous oracles and walking trees!

While my thoughts were rearranging themselves, Merry and Pippin had already asked the giant tree to stop walking and let them down. In a matter of minutes they were standing in front of me, joyfully running towards me.

"I can't believe it! What are you doing here?" Merry asked, pulling me into a huge bear hug. Without meaning to, he hit my arm and I cried out in pain. He let go at once.

"My arm is broken," I managed to say through the pain, holding my arm against my chest as if that would make the pain disappear.

Pip looked skeptically at my arm. "And you've been using what exactly as a sling?" I blushed and then looked down at my torn dress in embarrassment.

"It…it was the only thing I had…" I tried to explain, but Pip just smiled and took my arm to look it over.

While Pippin was checking my wrist over, Merry started this incoherent babbling that even if I could understand I wouldn't be able to listen to over my heart beating so fast.

"That's Treebeard! He's our sort of guide through the forest…you see we were captured by some orcs and they nearly killed us! But don't worry; we fought them off-"

Over the narration of Merry's voice, I could hear my heartbeat better than anything else. I felt a lump in my throat, but couldn't fathom why my body was responding this way. Pip suddenly looked up and caught my eye.

"How big is your neck?" he asked, throwing me totally off guard and I gave him a look saying 'how the heck would I know?' Merry had stopped talking, obviously feeling as if no one were listening to him and instead just stood back to watch the scene in front of him.

Pippin let go of my wrist and took off his vest, putting the two holes where his arms had been together and putting it around my neck, stringing my arm through the loop it created.

"Ha! I knew your neck was smaller than my arms!"

"And why would you know that?" I asked sarcastically, but my question was drowned out by Merry's voice.

"By gog, Pip…you actually created something that works!"

* * *

A few hours later I was sitting up with the two idiots in Treebeard's safe, but unsteady, branches. The two explained how Treebeard was going to rally all the Ents together in a council to talk about how Saruman had been destroying the forest.

I nodded and smiled, but inside my head all I could think was, _Ents? Wha…? And this Saruman guy…I'm so out of the loop._ I refused to even think about my conflicting feelings when it came to Pippin. Instead, I let myself think of more pressing matters; like where Sam and Frodo were at the moment.

Even more hours later, (Because apparently Treebeard can't walk any faster than he can talk…) all three of us began to settle down while all the Ents began to gather together in council. They all talked too slow for me to sit and try to listen.

"We have an extra blanket you can sleep on," Merry told me and handed me a raggedy torn thing that could hardly be described as a blanket, but I took it anyway. After all, an old blanket was better than sleeping on bugs for another night.

As I set up my little sleeping area far away from Pip, I let my mind wander back to my dream about the night in Rivendell. Suddenly I became very scared that the flower had fallen out of my pocket and I hurriedly began searching for it in my pocket.

But it wasn't there.

I dropped the blanket in a panic and searched through every nook and cranny in my dress and found nothing. Becoming hysteric now, I fell to the ground, moving every stick, checking under every leaf for a flash of forget-me-knot petals. Nothing was there.

"Id everything okay, Miriam?" Pippin asked, standing over me worriedly. "What are you looking for?"

"My flower!" I cried, wishing I had both hands to use. "I can't find it! It was in my pocket, but now…" I stopped talking, feeling the sting of tears in my eyes.

"Oh," Pippin said without any inflection at all. I whipped my head up to look at him, and sure enough I saw the hint of a smile.

"Give it back."

"I don't have it!" his mouth burst into a full broad grin now, and he held up his hands to back up his lie.

"Give it back!" I meant to yell, but my eyes betrayed me and began crying without my consent. Before I knew it, I had started to bawl. "Just…please…give it…back…"

I could tell that Pippin was shocked, but at the moment I really just didn't care about his feelings. He had stolen my only link to Frodo, who cared how he felt?

"Here, here! I'm so sorry…I didn't know…" he handed it back to me and I held it against my chest, finally slipping it back into my pocket.

My tears had calmed down, now only a little trickle down my cheeks. I saw that Pip was frightened beyond his wits and I laughed a bit on the inside, amused to see him like that. "I'm sorry I yelled," I whispered, pulling him in for a hug. He complied, wrapping his arms around me. "It's just that…Frodo gave it to me and it's really the only connection I have to him."

At once Pippin pulled away, a weird look on his face. "What?" I asked, but he just turned away and headed back over to where he had laid his own blanket. I looked over at Merry, who had been watching us again, but he looked down at the ground like he could tell me what was really going on.

I remember sleep that night not being satisfying at all, even with the blanket.

* * *

Okay, so it took almost…well, I'm not going to count, but it took a long time for this chapter to come out.

I know that most people probably won't even remember this is still out, but please leave a review if you are a nice person.

I apologize again. I lost my only disk with this story on it and my dad just recently found it for me (today, actually) and I knew I had to finish this chapter…I feel terrible!

I'm sooooo sorry!

Please forgive me and read and review! 

Emmablk1


	12. In Dreams

I'm trying really hard to write this before it turns into another '6 months to write one chapter' fiasco. The problem is that kinda under some constraints.

And I am painfully aware that this is too short. So please when you review (because you'll get cool stuff like any actor you want) don't tell me that it needs to be longer. Next chapter will be; scout's honor! (even though I never was a boy scout because I'm a girl...)

I'm trying my hardest! And that's all that really matters, right?

**MimaEtcy-** I'm sure that everything will turn out okay on your stories. I have writer's block all the time, so I know how you feel! As for being an amateur, well so was I when I started writing, but people are more than happy to help you if you let them. I look forward to reading your stuff!

**NoroLimAsfaloth-** I'm sorry! It's all my fault that that happened. I'm trying to write more, but I just got so darn busy that I couldn't even afford to think about this fic, let alone write for it, but everything's better now that it's summer…so I'll try to finish it soon, but not too soon.

**Haras Railfcm-** My gosh I love your long reviews. Yeah, 'butt-face' was the only thing I could think of at the time because I was so obsessed with getting the whole chapter done. I think I was supposed to go back and fix that, but oh well. I'm so jealous! I want to see it on Broadway! In fact, I want to see ANYTHING on Broadway, but still! The closest I've come is seeing Wicked in Dallas. Have you ever seen the Narnia musical? I think there's one, but I'm not sure. I think that a school near mine did it and it sounded amazing. I want to read that.

**ChangelingChild-** Jessie, this is you, right? I already knew it was too short, thanks. Lol. But thanks for reviewing! I'll see you tonight at my sweet sixteen party! blows a kiss

**Esmerald tears-** thanks. I wrote the Merry and Pippin conversation apart from the chapter and then put it in. I was stuck on the story and then came up with something Merry and Pippin might've said and it helped. (I really like it too, am I gloating too much?) lol. Glad to hear from you again.

**Frodo's girl-** I've already replied to your reviews, but I just wanted to say thank you again for reviewing so much. Hopefully you won't give up on this fic. (I put waaaay too much effort into this for you to give up on it; I had to write down all the dialogue for the first two movies- and they were the extended versions.) I believe that's about…8 hours? Or something like that. smiles I hope to hear from you again!

AH! I can't believe it's chapter twelve already!

* * *

The following night I met someone all too familiar in my dreams. No, it wasn't Gandalf, nor was it Galadriel, and your first guess, Frodo, would be entirely incorrect.

It was Sam. My older-but-never-wiser oafish brother, sometimes-smiling-but-always-quick-to-temper brother. As the figure became more and more evident, only one thought was going through my mind.

"What the heck are you doing here!" I shouted, ready for my usual midnight dreams of Frodo, but instead being thoroughly disappointed by finding my bumbling brother. He looked at me, rolling his eyes.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" he shuffled his feet the slightest bit, looking rather uncomfortable. As he should have, after all it was my dream. "A man falls asleep thinking he's going to have nice, peaceful dreams-"

"About Rosie Cotton?" I smirked, hoping to catch him off guard, mainly because I never can. "And am I NOT nice and or peaceful?" I asked, just realizing that he had put me down.

He pretended like he hadn't heard me. That's his defense mechanism against the world. "-And what happens? He dreams about his sister, that's what!"

"Well, it's not like I wanted to dream about you either." I mumbled, also shuffling my feet.

"No, you were hoping to dream some more about Frodo, right Mira?"

I fell silent, glaring at him. I knew he was only getting back at me for the Rosie comment, but it was the principle of the thing. Neither of us spoke for a while, falling back into our usual pattern when we fight. We were quiet for so long that I was beginning to wonder if it was all a dream after all when Sam started to talk again.

"You two are really alike, you know that?" he glanced at me sideways top catch my reaction, but I tried to keep my face straight. "All I ever hear every night, every day is 'Do you think she's okay, maybe she made it back home, I had a dream last night that she died, did you?', but the worst of all are the things he doesn't voice, Mira." He paused, hesitating a moment, sure now that his words were cutting into me like a knife. "He's struggling. That blasted Ring gets heavier and heavier with every passing day. He doesn't eat or sleep very well…but of course Gollum doesn't help either,"

"Wait, what's a Gollum?" I asked, momentarily confused and distracted.

Sam sighed dramatically. I guess theatrics runs in the family. "That's not the point!" he grabbed my shoulders roughly, shaking me hard. It didn't feel so much like a dream anymore. "Aren't you listening to a word that I'm saying!" I pulled my eyes away from his face, feeling the tears burning and threatening to roll down my already tear-stained cheeks. He let go of me, shaking his head as if he were disappointed.

"He…I…We need you. You need to come back."

I looked up at him, rage glaring in my eyes. "Oh, so that's what I _need_ to do, huh! Is that right? Well, you, Galadriel, and that stupid shitty oracle can all get together and have your own council on what I _need_ to do! I'm not a puppet, I can't be strung around everywhere on a string! After all, I'm just a Hobbit meant to bring ruin to the whole damn fellowship, right! You know what? Just leave me the hell alone for once!"

Sam stood there, his mouth open in shock. I don't blame him; I haven't used that many harsh words since…well…ever. But who was he to tell me what to do?

He was my friend, my brother, someone very close to both Frodo and me. If anything, he was the one who should be telling me what to do, where to go. He knew what was best for me. So why was I being so disdainful?

I wiped the tears that had fallen during my little speech and managed to get my voice under control. "Sam…you're my brother and I love you…" I could see his whole figure change, setting himself up for what he believed to be an apology for why I couldn't come. "…But when I come back, it's not going to be for you or Frodo. Well, a little more for Frodo than for you…" he laughed, relieved once more. "It will be for me. I've had too many voices telling me and ordering me where to go and what to do. This time, I'm doing something not just because I have to, but also because I want to and need to."

Sam opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off, suddenly disappearing as I awoke to see distant sunlight and Pippin's face.

"AH!" I screamed, jumping (or rather, rolling) back a little from the close proximity. "What in bloody blazes do you think you're doing!"

Pippin just smiled and pointed to the small fire a little ways over, where both bacon and eggs were cooking.

"Food!" I shrieked, lunging myself at the food and inhaling the smell of real bacon.

Merry, who was patiently (Well, as patiently as Merry can get, which isn't very patient at all.) simmering the food over the fire, gave me the look I had been getting very used to.

"Pip," he said slowly, "I think it might be time to get Miriam out of the wild." Pippin laughed and reached out to grab a strip, but was slapped hard on the hand by Merry. "It's almost done!" he replied in response to Pip's whimpering.

Even though I could practically taste the bacon in my mouth, and it was watering from hunger, I tried to keep my slobber down long enough to ask about how the council went last night.

"We don't rightly know." Pippin explained, about to make another lunge for the bacon. "They talk too slowly for us to stay awake long enough to find out. Treebeard's supposed to tell us."

It was then that I noticed that the sun wasn't shining as hard as usual, even with all the trees around us. "What time is it?" I asked, hesitant to know the answer.

Merry and Pippin looked at each other and came to the conclusion that they shouldn't tell me.

"If you don't tell I'll be forced to eat every last piece of this here bacon. And neither of you two will get even a burn from the oil when I'm done."

"Four o'clock." They both answered in tandem. With that, Merry claimed an even stronger hold on the handle, afraid that I was going to turn into an unsightly beast and take it away from him.

"YOU WOKE ME UP AT BLOODY FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING!" I shrieked, standing up to make myself more menacing. "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WERE YOU THINING!"

"I was thinking that if you wanted any bacon then we'd better wake you up." Pippin replied shakily, both him and Merry shirking back from me out of fear.

And with that comment, we continued to have a nice, peaceful breakfast. All thoughts of what I had promised Sam cleared out of my head until the moment that Treebeard appeared to tell us what the council had ultimately decided.

* * *

Yes, it's short. Waaaay too short. But it was all too important to clump together with another chapter. Plus, I thought that everybody would like to have a little chapter before I have to go back to the movies to refresh myself on dialogue and what was said. I won't be using is as much, but some of it will make its way back into the fic. However, it won't be totally based on the movies again, I promise. picky swears

I'm terribly sorry for the wait again, but I went to Galveston and turned 16 last week, so I've been terribly busy. The next chapter will be longer, I promise everyone. I'll try to make it at least ten pages. (Jessie that promise is for you.)

Okay, so I'm off to write for another fic and to hopefully watching Phantom of the Opera again. I'll see everybody next chapter.

Please review!

Emmablk1


	13. Entmoot and Water

Hey! I'm back! And I have the dialogue necessary to write this thing! Yay for me.

**Frodo's Girl-** I think you're kinda predicting the future here. Good job! pats back well, unfortunately having my driver's license means that I scratched a car in a parking lot, scratched my mom's car driving into the garage, and hitting my own car while also trying to pull into the garage. All in the same day. People who are accident prone so should not drive. That's my warning to you. Yeah, I have the POTO soundtrack on my i-pod and I used to listen to it all the time. You're so lucky that you saw it on stage! I'm officially jealous.

**changleingchild-** Jessie...shakes head you know, I could send it to you and have you proofread it, but I never know when you wouldn't be too busy to read it. smiles I heart you! Enjoy this chapter, ok?

**Haras Railfcm-** How long has it been since I told you that I love you?! You're awesome. Thank you so much for the long review. I have never written any swear words into a fic before and when I told my friends they gave me a round of applause! They're dorks. Lol. I saw Wicked in Dallas at Fair Park. It was absolutely amazing! I'm going back to see it again with my mom next year when it comes back to Dallas. Actually I heard that the LOTR musical just got taken off of the stage. Maybe because people didn't pay to see it. I would; the guy who played Frodo was very cute. Not as hot as Elijah Wood, but pretty close. laughs happy belated b-day! I hope you enjoy this (hopefully) long chapter!

**Hyper-Space Grl-** Thank you so much for your constructive criticism! I only use spell check on Microsoft Word and not a beta, so there's probably a lot that I need to fix. My friend Jessie just loves to point these things out to me, so not to worry. smiles I have been working on trying not to use too much dialogue, but it's also a helping to me to use some of it. I frequently have to go back and watch the movie over and over again to remember what happened where (that's what I get for only watching the movies a hundred times. I should have stretched for two hundred…) and it's easier to just stick extra dialogue in there half the time, but I am aware of how boring that is. Thankfully your paragraph on how great I am was longer, so I thank you again! It's so wonderful to hear praise instead of flames. Especially since I thought that a certain chapter was lousy, so I'm leaning more on the side of loving you than hating you right now. laughs Thank you so much for reviewing!

**TheLoneShe-Elf-** Yay for you finally getting back online! I have that problem too; I hear they now offer classes on ways to overcome that particular disease. laughs thank you for my birthday wishes! blows kisses

**SpiritGirl of japan- **thank you so much! Yay for no slashes! (You really like the exclamation point, don't you?) lol, that's cute.

**ArwenEvenstar83-** I apologize for not updating in more than four months. There really is no excuse for that except that I can't be trusted with the way time passes…whoops. Somebody get me a watch! Oh wait, there's one right here on my wrist. Oh dear, it says that I'm four months too late and that people don't care about this story anymore. Ah, well. Just joking! I'm trying as hard as I can and I'm sorry for the delay! Thank you for re-reading the story again and reviewing!

**Destiny-** that's a cool name, actually. Thank you for your review! Hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

And yet that was all of the reviews. Sad, huh? If you wish to ratify that (and you should), then you should fix it. What I'm saying is please review! I'll give away free cookies (with chocolate!!).

That entices you, right?

* * *

Entmoot lasted the rest of the day, as well as the next. It was in the evening of the second day that Treebeard finally turned away from the other Ents and spoke to us about what was going on. Thank God. I didn't think I could last through another night of strainfully trying to listen to what they were saying only to remember that I certainly didn't have enough patience for that sort of thing. Ok, I definitely didn't have enough patience.

We were lounging in a tree near the Ents. Never mind, I lied. I was lounging. Merry and Pippin, however, were pacing back and forth, crossing each other over and over. While they were in complete turmoil I was completely resigned to the fact that I wasn't going to be there much longer anyways. As soon as I could find the right time I was dead set on asking Treebeard to take me over to the edge of the forest I had entered. I needed to retrace my steps if I wanted to get back to Frodo and my idiot brother as soon as possible.

I was antagonizing over the situation so much that I was determined to not let it get to me. After all, I was being an idiot to be so indecisive; however, this is not the point.

I was awaken from my reverie when Pip hurriedly said, "Merry, Mira!"

We waited in inpatient silence as Treebeard spoke. As slowly as possible, I might add. "We have just agreed,"

Pause.

We looked at each other apprehensively as he took yet another deep breath. But he didn't open his mouth again. In fact, I was pretty sure he had fallen asleep. At least, his eyes were closed and he was snoring slightly. If that wasn't sleeping, I'm not sure I know what is.

"Yes...?" Merry finally asked, waking him from his short nap. Treebeard started and then continued as if he hadn't just taken a short nap while talking.

"I have told your names to the Entmoot..." pause. "...and we have agreed..." longer pause. "...you are not orcs." We waited for him to go on, but he smiled as we stood there slightly stupefied.

Pippin, always the optimist, spoke first. "Well, that's good news." Merry, however, seemed to have turned his optimist switch to the off position.

"And what about Saruman? Have you come to a decision about him?" Usually embarrassed by Merry's rarely rash ways, I was surprised to find that I agreed with him.

"Now, don't be hasty, Master Meridoc." Treebeard said calmly.

"I wish you would be hasty," I muttered under my breath. I heard Pippin stifle a laugh.

Apparently Merry hadn't heard me and he continued to rant to Treebeard. In my mind I silently roared with him. "Hasty?" he drew closer to the Ent and pointed off in the distance. "Our friends are out there. They need our help! They cannot fight this war on their own."

Treebeard seemed the tinniest bit peeved, if that was even possible. "War? Yes. It affects us all. Tree, root, and twig." he took a longer breath, preparing to lecture us. _Great. This is going to take forever._ "But you must understand, young Hobbit..." _Pause_, "...it takes a long time..." _Another pause_, "...to say anything in Old Entish..." _Another, another pause_, "...and we never say anything..." _Yet another pause_; I looked over at Merry to find his face mirroring mine. "...unless it is worth taking..." _Oh my God, I think I might die from waiting for the rest of the sentence_, "...a long time to say."

The council lasted even farther into the night, but my patience had run out around the time Treebeard had fallen asleep while talking to us. (See, even he knows he's boring!) Giving up, I went back over to where our sleeping arrangement was.

But I couldn't lie down. I was too anxious to do anything that involved lying still for more than five minutes. Okay, two minutes. I was going to see Frodo again and my nerves wouldn't let me forget that all too important fact.

I started to pace, but then I reminded myself too much of Merry and Pippin, so I stopped and began to walk in a circle instead, as if that helped. Pretty soon I was walking around the trees closest to me and before I knew what my legs were doing, I was far away from the camp, meandering through the woods. I knew I shouldn't be doing this, but I felt compelled to.

I heard the sound of water trickling and followed it, excited to find a new discovery and forgetting all about my apprehension from being alone in the woods.

There was water, clear and pure water coming from somewhere, but I couldn't tell where. Suddenly I spotted it, surrounded by moss and hidden by trees. I cried out in joy, running to the small pond. For a moment I dared not to touch it, afraid that my hands might contaminate it. However, the water looked so inviting and, having not tasted real pure water in weeks, I carefully dipped my hands in the liquid and drank.

It tasted like…ale. What? Ale flavored water? How was that possible? I took another taste just to make sure. Well, also because it had been a while since I had had any ale.

But after that second tasting, it was impossible to stop drinking. I brought my hands down to the water again and again, so many times that I began to stop even being able to savor the taste. Suddenly frightened, I told my brain to tell my hands to stop dragging more water to my mouth. However, it seemed my brain and hands were disconnected. Even as I could feel myself pull my arms away from the pond, I was immediately tugged back to it over and over again.

I began to feel sick. My arm hurt from moving it so much to get to the water; the homemade sling nearly snapped in half at the force that compelled me to keep reaching out.

It was Merry who finally hauled me away and I sat, shocked, for a couple of minutes while he covered the pond back over with the moss that I had removed.

"I should have warned you," he said, and I could hear the anger in his voice that still hadn't receded from talking to Treebeard. "Pip and I found it a couple of days before we met you here." He explained as I quickly dried my hands on my skirt. Get this water off of me!

"Do you know what it is?"

He looked contemplatively over at the moss filled pond. "Well, when Pip and I drank it we each got a little taller. I don't know why that didn't happen for you. Maybe it just depends."

I swallowed hard, still desperately trying to dry my hands. Then a thought occurred to me. "Maybe I was supposed to die." Merry gave me a confused look.

"'Supposed to die'? What do you mean by that?"

I turned away from him and muttered, "Nothing." For a moment I had forgotten that he didn't know about the prophecy. We were silent for a few minutes as I tried to ignore the sound of running water that was still plainly in my ears.

"Yeah, you should have seen Pip when he finally found that he was taller than me." Merry laughed, standing up and measuring himself against a nearby tree. It dwarfed him.

I laughed too, thankful for Merry's joking spirit. "But I thought that he was always taller than you." Merry gave me an evil glare, which was exactly the reaction I was hoping for.

"I'll have you know that I'm most likely the tallest Hobbit one has ever seen." He proudly stated, drawing himself higher against the tree, putting his foot on a root and trying to stand on his tiptoes.

"Right. You're only the tallest if that person happened to be blind as a bat!" I laughed, rolling my eyes. It was always a treat to watch Merry be pompous. As if it didn't happen every few seconds.

"It's true!" he watched my unbelieving face for a moment then declared, "Ask me about any hobbit in the Shire. I'll tell how much taller I am than them!"

"And I'm to know you're right how?"

"By trusting me, of course."

I laughed uproariously at that one.

"C'mon Merry, let's get back to camp. Pip will be waiting for us."

"He'll be waiting for you, you mean." He dropped his prideful face and became serious in an instant.

I looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean by that?"

"I think you know exactly what I mean."

I scoffed, shaking my head. "If there's one thing you've learned about me by now, Merry, it's that I'm the densest hobbit you'll ever meet!"

He looked at me a little funny. "I don't know if I'm the one who should be telling you this." I didn't say anything, waiting for him to go on. "Pippin…Pip likes you. More than that, in fact. I think he's in love with you. He's never acted this way around anyone before you."

I gave him an incredulous look. "What are you talking about? Pippin can't _love_ me. All he loves is breakfast, second breakfast, and elevensies!"

Merry shook his head, smiling a bit. "Would you care to bet on that?"

I raised my eyebrow.

"What did you have in mind?"

* * *

The trap was set (in a way, anyways) when we arrived back at the camp. As soon as we reached where Pip was pacing it suddenly occurred to me the foolishness of me having to do all the work. Why were the women given all the tough jobs?

Then a thought occurred that stopped me in my tracks. Was this considered _cheating_ on Frodo?

_**No! **_

_Right? _

_Just stop thinking that way! You have a bet to win and you sure as heck aren't going to let Merry be smug about it all if you can't even get the nerve to do anything!_

Steadying myself I took a deep breath and kept walking. Just smile. Smile. Smile. Smile. The word began to lose all meaning to me.

_What's the matter with me? One harmless peck on the cheek and my head goes tipsy! And I haven't even done it yet! _

My smile became one of a homicidal maniac as I neared Pippin. He still hadn't noticed that I was there, probably too wrapped up in pacing. Treebeard wasn't anywhere around; I assumed that Entmoot was still going on.

Suddenly he looked up at me, grinning, as if he had known I was there all along. I swallowed hard. I could feel Merry's mocking Cheshire grin burning into my back. I turned and motioned with my head for him to go away and mind his own business. The look on face said he wasn't going to miss this even if the world was ending around him.

"Mira?" Pippin's face looked concerned. He probably got a good look at my homicidal maniac grin before I dropped it. "Are you all right?"

I nodded while smiling and succeeded in chocking on my own spit. A few moments of hacking and struggling to breath later, I looked up at Pip, who was clutching my shoulders as I held onto him to breathe, and…froze.

He raised his eyebrows, unsure why I had come up to him looking like I was going to kill him, then preceded to almost die in his arms and finally ended up looking up at him with miles of spit hanging appealingly out of my mouth.

I smiled weakly and wiped the drool from the corner of my mouth, flushing a deep shade of red.

"Yeah," I managed to choke out, "Just fine, thanks."

We stood there for a few minutes, with him still clutching my shoulders comfortingly. I realized that my hand was on his arm, but was a little too freaked out to pull away. Suddenly I noticed that we were getting closer and Pippin was beginning to close his eyes and pucker. And I was doing the exact same thing.

_Whoa! Paging Miriam Gamgee, please remember that you have a boyfriend and keep all lip puckering motions out of reach of others! _I quickly came to my senses just in time to pull away and give Pip a mouthful of my hair as I spun around.

I saw Merry's laughing face and wanted to throw up. What the hell was I thinking? I could feel my face burning the brightest red I had ever known and I quickly ran to the fire and tried to get it started again. I wasn't successful.

Behind me I could hear Pippin shuffling along to Entmoot and I knew that he was just as embarrassed.

"Ah, it wasn't that bad!" Merry cried, laughing so hard that tears were forming in his eyes. I shot him a death glare that made him stumble back. He stopped laughing.

"I just want you to remember something before you go ballistic on me, Miriam. You were about to kiss him back, but you claim to love Frodo." His eyes turned hard as they gazed on me. "Maybe that's something that you should think about before you talk to either of them again." He walked away in the direction Pippin had taken, leaving me alone to a dying fire and my jumbled thoughts.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed that little chapter! Sorry it took so long for me to write it! Please don't let that influence you to not review; I need positive reinforcement.

See you all in chapter fourteen…sigh…fourteen already?!

Emmablk1


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